Do I need mock trial or public speaking experience to audition?

No experience is needed at all. Many members, including both 2026 All-American Attorneys, had never done mock trial before joining. The auditions are designed so that anyone can participate regardless of background.

Will I actually get to compete, even as a new member?

Yes. Every member competes from day one. The program has four teams (A, B, Blue, and Gold), and new members are placed on one of these teams as either an attorney, witness, or both, with guidance from team captains and coaches.

Do you have to be pre-law to join?

Definitely not. While some members are pre-law, many join to build performance and critical thinking skills applicable beyond law. Some members compete just for fun.

How is college mock trial different from high school mock trial?

College mock trial gives students significantly more creative freedom: trials are longer and more complex, teams choose their own witness lineups, witnesses can add custom character details and backstories, and members can create demonstrations for the jury. There is also no competitive pretrial role.

Does the team travel, and how far?

Yes. CMT regularly travels across the country to compete. Recent destinations include Washington D.C. New York City, Chicago, Miami, Saint Louis, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and San Diego, among others.

California Mock Trial

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Cal Mock Trial is UC Berkeley's official mock trial team, competing nationally since 1999 and currently ranked top 10 out of 800+ teams nationwide. Members play attorney and witness roles in simulated courtroom trials, traveling to tournaments across the country from New York to Washington D.C. The program fields four competitive teams, and every member competes from day one. No prior experience is required. The club consistently ranks in the top 20 out of over 700 teams nationally.

ApplicationsAuditions: September 4th, 5th, and 6th. Callbacks: September 11th-13th. Attending an info session (August 28th or August 30th @ 8:30pm, Dwinelle 145) is mandatory to audition.

Years active (founded 1999)

500+

Total awards

30+

Tournament destinations

National ranking (top 20 out of over 700 teams)

Number of competing teams (A, B, Blue, and Gold)

Roughly 12 new members accepted per cycle

Events They Host

AMMTI (Art's Memorial Mock Trial Invitational)

Annual fall invitational tournament hosted by Cal Mock Trial at UC Berkeley. Formerly called AAMTI (Average American Mock Trial Invitational), renamed in 2026 to honor late coach Arthur Shartsis. AMMTI XII takes place November 7-8, 2026. Has hosted 250+ teams in its 12-year history.

AtypiCal

Annual spring invitational tournament hosted by Cal Mock Trial at UC Berkeley, taking place at the end of January. AtypiCal 2027 is scheduled for January 30-31.

UC Irvine's Anteater Invitational

CMT teams have competed at this tournament in multiple seasons.

UC Santa Barbara's Mocktopia

CMT teams have competed at Mocktopia in Santa Barbara across multiple seasons.

University of Virginia's GAMTI (Great American Mock Trial Invitational)

CMT's A Team has traveled to Washington D.C. to compete at this tournament.

UCLA's UCLASSIC

CMT teams compete at UCLA's annual invitational tournament.

University of Chicago's Great Chicago Fire Invitational (GCFI)

CMT's A Team has traveled to Chicago to compete at this tournament across multiple seasons.

Columbia University's CUBAIT

CMT's A Team traveled to New York to compete at Columbia's invitational, placing 5th out of 28 teams in the 2024-2025 season.

UC Davis' Cowtown Classic

CMT teams have competed at this tournament, going undefeated with 8-0 records in the 2024-2025 season.

AMTA Regional Tournaments (Fresno, Seattle, Los Angeles, Claremont, Boise)

CMT competes at AMTA-sanctioned regional tournaments each spring to qualify for ORCS and Nationals. Teams have competed at Fresno, Seattle, Los Angeles, Claremont, and Boise regionals in various seasons.

AMTA Open Round Championship Series (ORCS)

Mid-season national qualifying tournament. CMT has competed at ORCS locations including Phoenix, Santa Monica, Memphis, Fresno, and Anoka across multiple seasons.

AMTA National Championship Tournament

Annual national championship held each April. CMT has been a consistent presence since 1999, often qualifying two teams, and has placed as high as 2nd in the nation (2015) and 6th in the nation (2026).

Trial by Combat

Individual advocacy competition hosted by UCLA and Drexel. In the 2025-2026 season, Kaia Savage became the first CMT competitor to reach Trial by Combat, advancing to semifinals and placing 4th in the nation.

UCI's Beach Party Invitational

Winter invitational hosted by UC Irvine; CMT teams have competed across multiple seasons.

Member Experiences

Team Practices

Teams practice together under the direction of coaches and team captains. Past practices have been held at coaches' homes (former coach Art Shartsis opened his home for team practices).