Law in action: learning through scripted role plays

Alan Butcher, Richard Grimes and Becky Parker

Law in action: learning through scripted role plays, published here in 2006, is a compilation of eight courtroom scenarios replicating everyday cases in the criminal courts, plus supporting materials and teaching/learning notes for tutors and students.

Feedback on this resource and how you use it is invited. You may download and use the materials as you wish, however we request that you credit the authors and UKCLE.

Law in action: learning through role plays contains everything you need to recreate an authentic glimpse of courtroom exchanges in the magistrates court. The role plays can be used by anyone interested in furthering their understanding of the legal process, from school pupils and law students throughout the legal education continuum to personnel within the criminal justice professions and participants in legal literacy courses.

The role plays were compiled, and tried and tested in practice, by the three authors – find out more about the authors and read the foreword by The Rt Hon The Lord Goldsmith QC, Attorney General.

See Using role play for learning for an explanation of the purpose and educational benefits behind using role plays for learning, with suggestions for introducing them in the classroom.

How to use this resource

Law in action: learning through scripted role plays is made up of four sets of materials:

• the role plays – eight scenarios, available as tutor and student scripts, and also as traditional play scripts
• the tutor version – an introduction for tutors on using role play, plus an explanation of the educational benefits, a guide to preparing to role play and links to the tutor scripts
• the student version – an introduction for students on using role play, plus links to the student scripts
• about the court – background information and a glossary of terms

The scripts may be downloaded, copied and distributed – the publisher waives copyright for this (but no other) purpose.

This publication is an innovative tool. It helps…to raise interest and understanding in our justice system and in the rights and responsibilities everyone in our society has.

— Foreword by The Rt Hon The Lord Goldsmith QC, Attorney General

Last Modified: 9 December 2010