The world is in flux. This much is certain. This much has always been certain. It pays to keep up with all the ways that society can go wrong so that, when it does, we can set it right again. This is where mock trials come in. Think of a mock trial like an organic computer. It’s a sort of flesh and blood simulation that can test for various legal battles and theories that might actually arise in the near future. This might seem extraneous but it’s far from it. Mock trials are very necessary to help prepare the legal systems for stresses that might come from more unexpected places. And, judging from the developments of the past decade, this century is shaping up to be one of the least expected times that society has ever had. Let’s take a look at a couple, potential scenarios that mock-trials might able to help with in the near future. They might be varied in scope but they all share one common theme- that things are about to get dangerous, wild and weird. So preparation is absolutely necessary.
- Climate Change Perils
Best not to bury the lead for cases such as these. The stresses of climate change are going to bring a lot of dangerous and complicated cases to the forefront of legal consciousnesses. It’s going to force lawmakers to decide who has rights to which resources and how long they have them. They aren’t just going to involve land-disputes either. By using mock trials, we can simulate what it will be like to have a dispute over water rights, food rights and other essentials that might become scarce in certain regions. Mock trials and fake trials are going to be one of the best ways to prepare for a world in which access to resources is changing so rapidly that it becomes incredibly hard to keep up. The criminal justice needs these sorts of exercises as a sort of practice to prepare itself. Because of these human-wrought changes to the environment, the nature of arbitration and arbitration service is going to change. We just have to prepare for when it does. It’s scary, yes but it’s necessary.
Civil Rights
Another large-scale issues that’s going to come to the national and global legal forefront is civil rights. Climate change induced conflicts, and other types of conflicts as well, are going to force all stable societies into the difficult position of figuring who has access to which countries and what rights do they have in said countries. This goes not only for refugees but for citizens in the countries themselves. By going through the process of mock-trials we can simulate what might happen when a country threatened by thirst or famine is forced to open its doors to people who have similar or worse problems. This is, of course, going to be controversial topic (to say the least) but we can prepare the legal system for this stress if we actively prepare for mediation beforehand. The experience these mock trials will give volunteers and professional lawmakers alike will be invaluable. If they are ready, we will be ready. That’s what counts.
Technological Change
Even staying within a limited range of innovation, technological change will cause some strange and mystifying cases to arise. For instance, a mock-trial might be able to simulate the question of the malfunction of a self-driving car that struck a pedestrian. While it’s speculation now, it won’t be in fifteen years. Long-term vision is key. Other, stranger questions, such as drone problems or VR crime, might come into legal question and it pays to be prepared for them. That’s the power of forward thinking and imagination. It helps in all situations, legal or otherwise. It just takes a little extra effort and willingness to open up on the part of everyone involved. Judges and lawmakers will benefit in the long run as will the citizens of the world. That’s what counts.