Practice Court and Criminal Law

Practical Training for Criminal Law Practice

Baylor Law’s Practice Court Program prepares students for the demands of criminal law practice. Through realistic cases, expert witnesses, and hands-on training, students learn how criminal cases are built, tried, and challenged in court.

Students interested in criminal law take part in a series of “Big Trials” involving both criminal and civil cases. This experience helps students understand how trial strategies can differ between criminal and civil practice.

Criminal Big Trials draw on the experience of professionals from Baylor and beyond. Retired Texas Ranger and Senior Lecturer James (Jim) Huggins works with the Practice Court team to develop realistic murder scenes and blood spatter evidence. Baylor University undergraduates from the Expert Witness Testimony course also serve as witnesses, giving law students experience working with live testimony.

Students also learn about the challenges of eyewitness identification. Dr. Charles Weaver, former chair of Baylor’s Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and a nationally recognized expert on eyewitness identification, works with his doctoral students to develop case materials for Practice Court. These cases help law students examine the strengths and limits of eyewitness testimony.

Baylor Law also works with Kerrville State Hospital to give students experience with mental health issues in criminal cases. Students work with doctoral candidates who are training to serve as expert witnesses. Through this collaboration, law students gain experience taking video depositions, working with expert testimony, and handling related issues in court.

Together, these experiences give students practical training for criminal law practice. They leave Practice Court with experience examining witnesses, working with experts, evaluating evidence, and trying complex cases.