Free worksheet · Your own facts and words
Sentencing Hearing preparation worksheet
Argue what the sentence should be, as prosecutor or defense, before a judge who tests every claim. The judge then imposes a sentence, and you get a coaching scorecard. Practice only, not legal advice. Prepare your first attempt using the same skills your practice scorecard evaluates: Legal basis, Use of the facts, Responsiveness to the court, Persuasion.
How to use this tool
- Choose one real situation. Write accurate facts and your intended outcome; leave uncertain details marked for review.
- Draft short responses in your own voice. You are preparing to communicate, so write what you would actually say rather than a perfect script to memorize.
- Rehearse one skill at a time: Ground your request in the supplied record; Address relevant competing considerations; Present proportionate reasoning.
- Download your notes. Then use a live roleplay to test the response under follow-up questions and review the feedback on the words you used.
My preparation
Your entries stay in this browser until you choose to download them or carry your goal into a practice plan. The worksheet does not call an AI model.
What to look for when you rehearse
- Ground your request in the supplied record. Compare your first wording with your next attempt. Identify the actual phrase, question, or example that improved this skill, and explain why it helped.
- Address relevant competing considerations. Compare your first wording with your next attempt. Identify the actual phrase, question, or example that improved this skill, and explain why it helped.
- Present proportionate reasoning. Compare your first wording with your next attempt. Identify the actual phrase, question, or example that improved this skill, and explain why it helped.
After each attempt, review one useful moment and one missed opportunity. Use your scorecard’s quoted words to choose a specific change. A score is feedback on the practice sample, not a prediction of success outside the simulation.
Your first complete coaching report is free once. A free account keeps your plan, answers, and downloadable personal notes. Any round pack adds full coaching on every report; $4.99 once gives you 100 rounds across all areas.
Read the complete sentencing hearing guide →