Courtroom Simulator Gives UAA Law Students Realistic Trial Experience
Photo Credit: Jamey Bradbury
UAA legal studies student Nala White doesn’t enjoy litigation. This was her takeaway after defending a fellow student during a mock trial, as part of the grand opening of the university’s John E. Havelock Trial Simulation Courtroom in February.
“It was really nice, having the hands-on experience of presenting a case in a realistic courtroom,” says White, who plans to pursue a career in criminal defense. “The opening statement was the hardest part, then all of the procedural elements of cross-examination.”
Architecture Matters
Located in UAA’s Professional Studies Building, the Havelock Trial Simulation Courtroom provides UAA students and others with hands-on, experiential learning in a setting identical to courts in which they will eventually practice law.
The simulation courtroom is built to US federal court standards. For example, when entering evidence during the recent mock trial, students walked across the courtroom’s well area to approach the witness stand. They presented their case from a podium, before a presiding judge and in front of a jury box. There’s even gallery seating for the press.
Prior to opening the simulation courtroom, students held trial simulations in classrooms. But as Assistant Dean of the School of Justice and Human Services Brad Myrstol points out, “Architecture matters.”
He adds, “You make do with what you have, but you’re moving desks and tables [in a classroom]. Going through a simulation in a simulated space makes the learning different—how you move, how you have to project your voice in a big room.”
The mock courtroom joins other simulated spaces on the university’s Anchorage campus; the College of Health offers students simulated hospital rooms and operating theaters for hands-on experience, for example.
Those spaces are strictly for students and faculty. By contrast, the Havelock Trial Simulation Courtroom, says Myrstol, “is a true community simulation space.”
It’s also unique. Myrstol points out that most law schools don’t feature an accurate, dedicated simulated courtroom space. UAA is capitalizing on its ability to offer experiential training to lawyers, community members, and students outside Anchorage.
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Equipped with six high-definition cameras, the room can simulcast to remote campuses. During the grand opening event, the mock trial was simulcast to a second room in the Professional Studies Building, demonstrating the potential for remote learning from anywhere across Alaska.
Students and others will also be able to participate remotely, an experience that mirrors real-world scenarios in a state where courtroom hearings are often held over the phone or via internet video meetings.
“A student in Bethel could be the plaintiff’s attorney—because [actual] court hearings are held online now,” Myrstol says. With the new simulation courtroom, “we can conduct remote hearings with the same technological prowess as the US federal courts.”
The courtroom will also offer continuing education for Alaska’s legal professionals and learning engagement for middle and high school students and other youth groups interested in legal careers. Myrstol says UAA’s School of Justice plans to reach out to youth organizations like the Anchorage Youth Court and Alaska’s Color of Justice program, which encourages exploration in justice careers among young people, particularly Alaska Native and American Indian youth.
“This is a setting students can really see themselves in,” Myrstol says. “When you talk about inspiring young people into legal careers, particularly in underrepresented populations, it can be transformative.”
Already, the courtroom simulator is attracting interest from across the state. The Alaska Departments of Law and of Public Safety have conducted trainings there, and the National Association of Attorneys General recently held a basic trial advocacy course in the room.
Repurposed from a former amphitheater, the courtroom is 2,100 square feet. The renovation involved raising the floor about three feet to decrease the well space. The conversion was made possible by six years of fundraising, with major support from the Alaska Department of Law, private donors, and a congressionally directed spending request supported by US Senator Lisa Murkowski.
The simulation courtroom is named for John E. Havelock, a former Alaska Attorney General and US Attorney who was an advocate for justice, public service, and legal education.
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