Goodlettsville courtroom gives mock trial students hands-on civics lesson

By KATE COIL

TT&C Assistant Editor

Students had a hands-on civic lesson in Goodlettsville’s municipal courtroom as part of a mock trial competition overseen by City Judge Ali Toll. 

Members of the Classical Conversation Homeschool Community from Goodlettsville competed against a team of homeschool students from Springfield at the mock trial. Toll said the competition has been held between eighth graders with the Goodlettsville group and other area homeschool associations for the past four years, using the city courtroom in Goodlettsville.  

The competition involved two trials in which the teams each got a chance to serve as the prosecutors and defense in a criminal case. Toll did double duty, serving both as the presiding judge overseeing the mock trial and as one of the four scorers who assigned points to each team. 

“It helps students get out there and see if they enjoy this activity,” Toll said. “For some, this will lead to a career in the future, but even for those who don’t plan to be lawyers or work in the legal system, they are gaining skills like public speaking, working as a team, and all the preparation that goes into it. There are all types of roles. There are students who serve as attorneys, a student is a bailiff who keeps order in the court and swears in witnesses. The witnesses have to come in and assume the role of different characters, so there are skills in acting as well.” 

The mock trial is the first time many students have ever been inside a courtroom.  

“You can definitely tell they are nervous at first, but we try to make the atmosphere is accommodating as possible,” Toll said. “After they conclude, I always have remarks for the kids. Many of them have the intention of being lawyers themselves someday. I’m a part-time city judge and a full-time personal injury lawyer, and I try to impart practical things onto them, both in terms of the law and basic life skills. I try to make them feel more comfortable and at ease. We want them to know the courtroom is not as scary of a place as they may anticipate.” 

Mock trial day is also a fun event for Toll and other Goodlettsville municipal court employees.  

“I hope through this experience the students are broadening their knowledge of the justice system and also increasing their personal skills, like advocating for others,” Toll said. “Many times when you are in a courtroom, you aren’t dealing with situations that are enjoyable. These students are always excited at the opportunity to learn and present what they have worked on to me. We are always blown away with their performance.” 

For Toll, the event is a way to bring civics lessons to life and give students insights into potential careers in the legal field. 

“If we can broaden their education and knowledge about the court, we can remove some of the apprehensiveness they may experience about going to court in the future,” she said. “I was the daughter of a welder and a dental assistant. As far as I know, I’m the first lawyer in my family and definitely the first judge. Sharing some of my knowledge I think helps them to see a girl from Millersville can go out and do big things, and so they can they.”