Mock Trial Script: "The Unauthorized Download"
Setting: A high school auditorium transformed into a courtroom.
Characters:
Judge
Prosecutor
Defense Attorney
Defendant: Alex Morgan (the student)
Witnesses:
o Jordan Lee (School IT Administrator)
o Taylor Smith (School Principal)
o Casey Jordan (Representative from the Movie Studio)
Bailiff
Clerk
Jury: Composed of students or audience members
Act I: Opening the Court
Bailiff: All rise. The District Court of [Your School Name] is now in session, the Honorable Judge [Name] presiding.
Judge: Please be seated. We are here today to hear the case of the State vs. Alex Morgan, who is accused of
unauthorized downloading of copyrighted material using the school's internet network. Are both sides ready?
Prosecutor & Defense Attorney: Ready, You’re Honor.
Act II: Opening Statements
Prosecutor: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, today you will hear evidence that Alex Morgan knowingly downloaded a
copyrighted movie without permission, violating both federal copyright laws and the school's acceptable use policy. This
act not only infringes on intellectual property rights but also compromises the integrity of our educational institution.
Defense Attorney: Members of the jury, while Alex did download the movie, it was done without malicious intent. We
will demonstrate that this was a lapse in judgment by a young student, not a criminal act deserving severe punishment.
Act III: Presentation of Evidence
Prosecutor Calls Witness: Jordan Lee (School IT Administrator)
Prosecutor: Mr. Lee, can you describe what you found regarding Alex Morgan's internet activity?
Jordan Lee: Yes. Our monitoring system flagged a large file download from a peer-to-peer network. Upon
investigation, we traced the activity to Alex's user account and IP address.
Prosecutor: What was the file?
Jordan Lee: A full-length copy of the movie "Galactic Quest," which is copyrighted material.
Defense Attorney Cross-Examines
Defense Attorney: Mr. Lee, is it possible that someone else used Alex's credentials?
Jordan Lee: While theoretically possible, our records show the login occurred under Alex's unique ID and password,
which are confidential.
Prosecutor Calls Witness: Taylor Smith (School Principal)
Prosecutor: Principal Smith, can you explain the school's policy on internet usage?
Taylor Smith: Certainly. All students sign an acceptable use policy at the start of the year, which clearly states that
downloading copyrighted material without permission is prohibited.
Defense Attorney Cross-Examines
Defense Attorney: Principal Smith, are students given any training on what constitutes copyrighted material?
Taylor Smith: We provide general guidelines, but we rely on students to understand and adhere to the policy.
Prosecutor Calls Witness: Casey Jordan (Representative from the Movie Studio)
Prosecutor: Ms. Jordan, what impact does unauthorized downloading have on your industry?
Casey Jordan: It results in significant financial losses and undermines the efforts of countless individuals involved in
movie production.
Defense Attorney Cross-Examines
Defense Attorney: Ms. Jordan, are you aware if Alex profited from this download?
Casey Jordan: There's no evidence of that, but unauthorized access still constitutes infringement.
Act IV: Defendant's Testimony
Defense Attorney: Alex, can you tell the court what happened?
Alex Morgan: I wanted to watch "Galactic Quest" for a class project and couldn't find it elsewhere. I didn't think it
would be a big deal to download it just once.
Defense Attorney: Did you understand that this was against the school's policy and the law?
Alex Morgan: I knew it was probably against the rules, but I didn't realize the seriousness of it.
Prosecutor Cross-Examines
Prosecutor: Alex, did you read and sign the school's acceptable use policy?
Alex Morgan: Yes, I did.
Prosecutor: So you were aware that downloading copyrighted material was prohibited?
Alex Morgan: Yes, but I didn't think it would cause harm.
Act V: Closing Arguments
Prosecutor: Alex Morgan knowingly violated copyright laws and school policies. Such actions cannot be overlooked, as
they set a precedent that rules can be broken without consequence.
Defense Attorney: Alex made a mistake, but it's a teachable moment rather than a criminal offense. Let's consider the
intent and the opportunity for education and growth.
Act VI: Jury Deliberation and Verdict
Judge: Members of the jury, you are to deliberate and decide whether Alex Morgan is guilty of unauthorized
downloading of copyrighted material.
Jury deliberates and returns with a verdict.
Judge: Has the jury reached a verdict?
Jury Foreperson: Yes, Your Honor. We find the defendant [Guilty/Not Guilty].
End of Script
