Argue It
for Real
Learn your rights as a young person, find free and low-cost legal help in Alberta, run a made-up mock trial, try moot court, and explore careers from lawyer to courtworker. General information, not legal advice.
- 00First Principlesp.2
- 01Your rightsp.4
- 02Legal helpp.5
- 03Mock trialp.6
- 04Moot courtp.7
- 05Careersp.8
- ✦Self-check · Make it · 5 Questions · Side Questp.9
You'll need: a notebook, a pencil, a timer, index cards, friends or classmates and an adult partner.
Principles
A first principle is a basic truth you can build on. Arguing for real rests on four: know your rights and stay calm, get help early, both sides deserve a fair hearing and prepare, listen, then argue.
What do I already know?
What is necessary?
Everything in this module is built from four bricks. Rate yourself on each one, then check the example to see if your rating holds up.
What is the objective?
By the end, you’ll be able to describe a young person’s rights when questioned, find legal help in Alberta, play every role in a mock trial, argue a moot appeal and map a path into a legal career.
- 01List 3 youth rights.
- 02Name 3 places for legal help.
- 03Name 6 mock-trial roles.
- 04Write an opening statement.
- 05Explain a moot court.
- 06Map a law career.
The list on the left is ours. Now make it yours. What do you want out of this?
How much do you know about arguing for real right now? Shade the boxes in pencil. You'll come back at the end (p.9) and shade it again in pen.
Why start this way? When you know what you already have (1), what you need (2) and where you're going (3), you learn faster and you notice the gaps. Every module on the Law Path starts with these same three questions.
Your rights
Youth have extra rights when police question them.
When detained or arrested
- To be told why (section 10(a)).
- To talk to a lawyer without delay, and to be told so (section 10(b)).
- To stay silent (section 7).
- Police must give you a chance to call a lawyer, including free duty counsel.
YCJA section 146
Before a young person (12 to 17) gives a statement to police, they must be told in clear language that they can stay silent, talk to a lawyer and a parent or other adult, and have that person there. Giving up these rights must be recorded.
General information only
Be respectful, don’t run or physically resist, and say clearly: “I want to talk to a lawyer and my parent.” You don’t have to explain or argue on the spot. This is general information, not legal advice; every situation is different, so ask a lawyer.
- Why is staying calm important when you’re questioned?
- Why do you think youth have extra rights?
Rights card
Make a wallet card listing your rights in plain words, the Legal Aid Alberta number (1-866-845-3425) and 2 trusted adults. Practise saying the lawyer sentence calmly with a family member.Which YCJA section gives youth extra rights when questioned?
Legal help
Free legal help exists in Alberta; start early.
Free or low-cost help
- Legal Aid Alberta: 1-866-845-3425.
- CPLEA: free plain-language legal information (cplea.ca).
- Student Legal Services (Edmonton) and Calgary Legal Guidance: free clinics.
- The Law Society of Alberta has an online lawyer directory.
Help on the day
- Duty counsel: free lawyers at many courthouses.
- Courtworkers, such as Native Counselling Services of Alberta, support Indigenous people in court.
- Court help desks explain forms and steps (not advice).
Know the difference
Legal information explains what the law says in general, like this book. Legal advice tells you what to do in your situation, and it should come from a lawyer or a qualified person. Help lines can tell you which you need.
- Why is it better to get legal help early?
- Who in your life could help you find a lawyer?
Help map
Make a one-page map of legal help near you: name, what they help with, phone or website and hours. Check each one on its official website with an adult. Which would a teen call first?What is duty counsel?
Mock trial
A trial has clear roles and steps.
Who does what
- Judge: keeps it fair and decides questions of law.
- Crown: presents the case against the accused.
- Defence: speaks for the accused.
- Witnesses, a clerk and a jury of 12.
How a trial runs
- Opening statements (Crown first).
- Examination-in-chief: open questions to your witness.
- Cross-examination: the other side asks short questions.
- Closing arguments, the judge’s instructions, then the verdict.
Courtroom manners
In a real trial, you stand to speak, address the judge by the title used in that court (such as “Your Honour”), and never interrupt. Cross-examination tests a story; it doesn’t insult the witness. Mock trials use the same respect, even when the case is made up.
- Which mock-trial role would you choose, and why?
- How can cross-examination be tough but respectful?
Ask open, then closed
Write 3 open questions (“What did you see?”) and 3 closed ones (“You were at the park, weren’t you?”) for a made-up witness. Which kind belongs in examination-in-chief, and which in cross?Who presents the case against the accused?
Moot court
A moot argues about the law, not the facts.
Arguing an appeal
A moot is a pretend appeal. There are no witnesses: the facts are fixed, and each side argues about what the law means. Judges interrupt with hard questions. Law students compete in moots across Canada.
Three steps
- Read the facts and the key cases.
- Write an outline with your best 3 points, using IRAC (Lens 6).
- Practise answering tough questions in 30 seconds.
A real skill
In many moots, teams argue one side in the morning and the other in the afternoon. It builds empathy and sharp thinking, because you must understand the best case against you. Debate clubs and student mock-trial programs use the same idea.
- Is it hard to argue a side you disagree with? Why?
- What makes a judge’s question hard to answer?
Mini moot
Fixed facts: a school banned all phones in class. Make one 2-minute argument that the rule is a reasonable limit (Oakes, Lens 5) and one that it goes too far. Have a partner play judge and interrupt.How is a moot different from a mock trial?
Careers
The law needs many kinds of people.
The Alberta path
- University study, then a law degree (often 3 years; Alberta has law schools in Edmonton and Calgary).
- The CPLED bar admission program and articling (usually 9 to 12 months).
- Admission by the Law Society of Alberta.
Not just lawyers
- Paralegals and legal assistants
- Court clerks and sheriffs
- Indigenous courtworkers
- Mediators and police officers
- Judges, policy writers and legal designers
Try it first
Look up occupations on alis.alberta.ca, Alberta’s careers site. Ask a lawyer, clerk or courtworker for an info interview, or with an adult watch a public court hearing. Many courts welcome visitors who follow the rules.
- Which legal job surprised you most?
- What could you do this year to explore a law career?
Career map
Pick 2 legal jobs. For each, find the training, the skills you’d need, and one subject you can start now. Draw a path from today to that job.What two steps come after a law degree in Alberta?
Quick self-check
Six questions, covering every stop. Show your thinking. Answers are upside down at the bottom; no peeking till you're done.
1 · Name 2 Charter rights on arrest.
2 · What does YCJA section 146 require?
3 · What is Legal Aid Alberta’s number?
4 · Name 4 mock-trial roles.
5 · What is a moot?
6 · What is articling?
Re-shade your knowledge meter
How much do you know about arguing for real now? Flip back to p.3 and shade the meter again in pen (or shade this one). Did any of the four bricks on p.2 move from "Not yet" to "Got it"?
Run a mock trial
Can you run a fair trial from start to finish?
1 · Plan
Made-up case: R. v. Kit. A bike went missing from a school rack. Kit was seen near the rack, and a bike like it was later found in Kit’s garage. Kit says it’s a different bike. Assign every role and run the trial.
- Roles assigned
- Witness statements written
- Openings ready
- Questions ready
2 · Roles
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Judge | |
| Crown | |
| Defence | |
| Witnesses | |
| Jury |
3 · Must-haves
- Both sides heard
- Cross stays respectful
- Judge explains the standard
- Verdict with reasons
4 · What I found
Did the Crown prove it beyond a reasonable doubt? What made the trial feel fair? What would you change next time?
Keep the case made up: never use real people, classmates’ names or real events. Keep cross-examination respectful, and stop if anyone feels upset. For a real legal problem, talk to an adult and a lawyer.
5 Questions
I Still Have
This module didn't answer everything. Good. Write 5 new questions it didn't answer, one of each type below. There are no wrong questions, only ones nobody's asked yet.
★ Star the one question you'd most like answered. You'll need it on the next page.
1What I'll find out
Break your big question into 2 or 3 smaller ones you could actually answer.
2Where I'll look
3How I'll share it
Who I'll share it with:
Done by: