The University of Wisconsin Law School Mock Trial Program is honored to host the Texas Young Trial Lawyers (TYLA) Regional Mock Trial Competition on January 30 – February 1, 2026. Mock trial Teams from throughout the Midwest will be in Madison to compete for the opportunity to represent their law school in the National Competition. The Mock Trial program needs your help. We will need students to act as witnesses and bailiffs during the trial to make this competition successful.
The competition will take place at the Dane County Courthouse on Friday through Sunday. Each trial will last approximately three hours, though as a witness you only have to participate until your testimony is complete. Witnesses do NOT have to memorize anything; just be generally familiar with the materials that we provide. This case involves a criminal murder trial. Our witnesses are: (1) a teacher who witnessed the crime; (2) a Sheriff who investigated the crime; (3) or one of two forensic experts, testifying about the evidence left at the crime scene.
We will give you all the information and training you need to be a witness or a bailiff for the competition. This is a wonderful opportunity watch some really good student advocates present a trial, and work with local judges and attorneys in the area who will be judging the competition.
The trials will take place on the following dates and times.
Friday, January 30th – 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 31st– 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Saturday, January 31st – 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 1st– 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 1st – 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
If you can be a witness or bailiff, please sign up here, or contact Kim Peterson at kmpeterson@wisc.edu or by phone 262-434-0644.