Mississippi Mock Trial Rules

Key Differences from Federal Rules of Evidence

• Mississippi adopted its Rules of Evidence in 2016, modernizing from a prior system heavily reliant on case law and statutory provisions
• Miss. R. Evid. 702 applies a modified Daubert standard but retains elements of the prior McLemore reliability test
• Mississippi Rule 413 permits evidence of similar acts in civil cases involving sexual assault or child molestation, broader than some states

Notable Rules

Key Features

• Mississippi Circuit Courts have general trial jurisdiction; Chancery Courts handle equity, family law, and estate matters
• Mississippi retains a separate Chancery Court system (one of few states) with distinct equity jurisdiction
• Mandatory pre-trial conferencing in civil cases to narrow issues and facilitate settlement

• Civil and criminal juries consist of 12 jurors
• Criminal verdicts must be unanimous
• Civil verdicts require unanimity; all 12 jurors must concur