Simulating a Court Experience to Expand Diverse Perspectives and to Practice Civil Discourse

In U.S. society, incivility is rampant and people do not understand diverse viewpoints. The bigger question looms, “What can be done about it?” This article describes an activity, called The Court Experience, in which students grapple with diverse perspectives by rotating as judges, attorneys, jurors, and others, using reason and respectful communication to express ideas. Informal feedback is extremely positive, indicating that this activity may help students appreciate views they did not previously appreciate, strengthen their strategic and critical thinking skills, improve their oral and written communication skills, and enable them to grasp the big picture as to why it is important to consider legal issues when making business decisions.