试验实习

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Drake is the only American law school where all first-year classes shift to a campus courtroom for a week, enabling students to view an actual state or federal trial.

The First-Year 试验实习 at Drake 法学院 is a unique program. Every spring since 1998, the first year classes have been moved to the Neal and Bea Smith’s Law Center courtroom.  The law school courtroom has been designated as an official courtroom for the Fifth Judicial District of the State of Iowa.  

The students gather in that courtroom to observe an actual jury trial from 从头到尾.  谋杀, child endangerment, 抢劫, employment discrimination cases have all been litigated in front of a jury, 从头到尾, with first year law students watching.  Those students have had the unique ability to question judges, lawyers and even jurors (following the verdict).   

Drake Law students don’t just observe trials; they also participate in them. Remarkably, second-year law student Brecklyn Carey gave the opening argument in the Sahouri trial in 2021 and assisted in the prosecution of the case, as part of her Prosecution Internship course. “In 2020, I had the opportunity to watch a vehicular homicide case from voir dire to verdict alongside my peers as part of the 试验实习 program,凯里说. “In 2021, instead of sitting in the gallery, I was sitting at counsel table! I gave my own opening statement and directed a witness during the trial; it’s incredible to see how much you can learn and grow in one year’s time at Drake Law through their experiential learning programs.”

The trial practicum introduces the law to students in a way that no textbook can ever quite capture. 最重要的是, the event models the values of civility, 专业, and public service essential to the legal system.

The case for 2022 is 州v. 阿黛尔Torbor. He is charged with Burglary 2^nd and Theft 1st, both class "C" felonies.  

Drake 法学院 is offering free access to the video recordings of the trial to the public. The videos can be accessed 在这里.

Past Case Examples

爱荷华州诉. 约翰·莫洛伊 The defendant was tried for 谋杀 in the First Degree for the shooting death of his drug supplier.

爱荷华州诉. 安德里亚 Sahouri - The defendant was a 得梅因 Register reporter who was charged with failure to disperse and interference with official acts during the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. The case received international attention and was live streamed worldwide.

爱荷华州诉. Sera Alexander  – The defendant was charged with killing her stepfather.

爱荷华州诉. Bernard Montez Davis – A case accusing the defendant of burglary in the third degree.

爱荷华州诉. Phankhy Pongxayavong – This case involved a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

爱荷华州诉. 安德里亚 LaForge – This case involved homicide by vehicle-OWI, homicide by vehicle-reckless, and involuntary manslaughter.

爱荷华州诉. 琳达·威尔逊 – The defendant was charged with theft in the second degree and theft in the third degree, 两个重罪.

For more information about the history and pedagogy of the 试验实习 read "Trial practicum integral to first-year law school curriculum", 90 JUDICATURE 114 (Nov.2006年12月), by Professor Emeritus Russell Lovell, II, the first director of the 试验实习 program.