High school law programs introduce you to the foundations of the legal system while helping you build practical skills. Many of them focus on mock trials or courtroom simulations, where you’ll take on roles, such as attorney, witness, or juror, and practice presenting arguments and questioning witnesses. Other programs emphasize legal research, debate, and policy discussions. You might also get to analyze Supreme Court cases, study constitutional issues, or explore how laws affect society through case studies and guided discussions.
Why should you choose a program in Indiana?
Indiana offers a variety of opportunities for students interested in law, including university summer courses, competitions, and community-based legal programs. Some programs take place inside courthouses or government buildings, allowing you to observe legal proceedings and learn how cases move through the system. Many are designed specifically for local high school students and may run for short periods, such as week-long summer sessions or academic-year competitions. If you plan to study law, political science, criminal justice, or public policy in college, participating in one of these programs can help you build relevant skills and gain early exposure to the legal field.
With that, here are 13 law programs for high school students in Indiana!
You can also check out this guide on law research programs.
13 Law Programs for High School Students in Indiana
1. Indiana State University: Sycamore Summer Scholars
Location: Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN
Cost: $500 – $600
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: July 7 – 11
Application Deadline: May 22
Eligibility: High school students sophmomores and juniors with a GPA of 2.4+
The Sycamore Summer Scholars is a short residential summer program where you stay on campus and take a college-level seminar in a subject of your choice. You’ll spend five days attending classes, exploring a potential major, and getting a feel for college life, including living in dorms and interacting with other students. The program offers a range of seminar options, but one key option is “Introduction to the Law,” which gives you direct exposure to legal concepts in a structured academic setting. Alongside coursework, you’ll experience campus life and meet peers who are also exploring academic interests. Because you’ll earn college credit and take an actual university seminar, the experience is more academic than most short summer camps, even though it only lasts a week.
2. Indiana Bar Foundation: Indiana High School Mock Trial
Location: Regional competitions across Indiana; State competition typically in Indianapolis, IN
Cost/Stipend: Not specified
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: Regionals: typically, February; State finals: typically, March
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students in Indiana
This statewide academic competition introduces you to the structure of the U.S. legal system by simulating real courtroom trials. You’ll join a team where students take on roles such as attorneys and witnesses, working together to analyze a fictional legal case and prepare arguments based on provided evidence and witness statements. During competitions, teams present both sides of the case, questioning witnesses and delivering arguments in front of judges, attorneys, and community volunteers who evaluate each performance. The program centers on courtroom procedure, so you’ll practice skills like cross-examination, opening and closing statements, and legal argumentation.
3. The Supreme Court and My Hometown
Location: Birch Bayh Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, Indianapolis, IN
Cost/Stipend: Not specified
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: June 24 – June 28
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students in the Indianapolis area
This week-long summer day program introduces you to how Supreme Court cases develop from local disputes into major constitutional decisions. Throughout the week, you’ll examine a real Supreme Court case connected to Indiana, studying the facts of the case, the trial process, and the appeals that eventually reached the Supreme Court. The program also includes discussions with judges, legal scholars, and attorneys who help explain how federal courts operate and how constitutional questions are argued. A key part of the experience is analyzing both the legal arguments and the historical context behind the case you study. By the end of the program, you’ll work with other students to design an exhibit for the Federal Court Learning Center that explains the case and its significance.
4. Heritage Christian School: High School Mock Trial
Location: Heritage Christian School, Indianapolis, IN
Cost/Stipend: Not specified
Cohort Size: Teams of 6-8 students
Program Dates: Mid-October – early March
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students
Heritage Christian School’s Mock Trial program prepares students to compete in the Indiana High School Mock Trial competition while learning how courtroom proceedings work. You’ll work with teammates and local attorneys who serve as coaches to analyze a fictional civil or criminal case and prepare arguments for trial. You’ll take on different roles, either acting as an attorney who delivers opening statements and questions witnesses or as witnesses who must portray characters and respond to cross-examination. Attorneys on the team learn to apply real Federal Rules of Evidence as they build arguments and question witnesses during trial simulations. Practices usually take place after school on weekdays, with additional preparation sessions as competitions approach.
5. University of Notre Dame: Law Summer Scholars
Location: University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN
Cost: $75 application fee; $5,200 program fee; Financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: June 6 – 20; June 27 – July 11
Application Deadline: October 15 – February 18
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors (16+)
Law Summer Scholars is a two-week academic program that is part of the University of Notre Dame’s Summer Scholars program and introduces you to several areas of the American legal system. Through lectures, discussions, and guest speakers, you’ll explore how courts operate and how legal arguments develop in both civil and criminal contexts. The course begins with an overview of the legal system, including how legal authority works and what lawyers do in different practice areas. Topics include constitutional law, human rights, immigration, discrimination, tort law, and intellectual property law. During the program, you’ll research a human rights issue and present your findings, while also studying the role of the Supreme Court and the appellate process. Guest speakers, such as practicing lawyers, help connect classroom discussions to real legal work and current legal debates.
6. Youth Resources of Southwestern Indiana: Teen Court Youth Volunteer Program
Location: Evansville, IN (Vanderburgh County)
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: Year-round (hearings scheduled as cases arise)
Application Deadline: Rolling applications
Eligibility: Students in grades 8-12
This volunteer program places you directly inside a peer-run courtroom where students help handle real juvenile diversion cases. Teen Court allows first-time youth offenders to avoid a formal juvenile record by appearing before a jury made up of student volunteers. You’ll take on roles such as juror, defense attorney, prosecuting attorney, bailiff, or judge’s assistant while adult attorneys mentor and guide the proceedings. The program follows a restorative justice model, meaning the goal is to repair harm and help the offender make better decisions rather than simply punish them. Volunteers receive training before participating, so you don’t need prior legal experience to get involved.
7. Reach For Youth, Inc.: Teen Court Volunteer Program
Location: Indianapolis, IN (also Franklin, IN)
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: Year-round
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students ages 12-18
This volunteer program places you in a peer-run courtroom where students help handle cases involving first-time youth offenders. You’ll serve in roles such as a juror or student attorney, helping review the case and decide appropriate consequences during a “trial by peers.” Local legal professionals guide the process while students practice courtroom procedures and legal reasoning. The program focuses on restorative justice, meaning the goal is to help offenders understand their actions and repair harm rather than receive formal juvenile penalties. Sessions typically take place in the evenings, allowing students to participate alongside school commitments. If you’re interested in law, debate, or community service, Teen Court offers practical exposure to courtroom roles and the juvenile justice process.
8. Indiana General Assembly: Indiana Senate Page Program
Location: Indiana Statehouse, Indianapolis, IN
Cost/Stipend: None
Cohort Size: Limited number of positions available
Program Dates: January 5 – March 14
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-12
The Indiana Senate Page Program gives you a chance to spend a day working inside the Indiana Statehouse while the legislature is in session. During your page day, you’ll observe debates on the Senate floor and see how state laws are discussed and passed in real time. The program also includes a guided tour of the Statehouse, where you’ll visit areas like the House and Senate chambers, the Indiana Supreme Court, and executive offices. Pages watch the legislative process from the Senate floor, giving you a close view of how policymakers debate and vote on proposed laws. You’ll also participate in interactive activities designed to explain how bills move through the legislative system.
9. Kosciusko County Government: Teen Court
Location: Kosciusko County, Warsaw, IN
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: Year-round
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Student volunteers
This peer-led court program allows you to participate in a courtroom-style process that handles certain non-violent juvenile offenses and school-related cases. As a student volunteer, you can serve as a prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, or member of the jury while reviewing the case and helping determine appropriate consequences. The program operates using restorative justice principles, meaning the focus is on accountability and repairing harm rather than traditional punishment. You’ll take on active roles in the hearing process, which helps you understand how courtroom procedures and legal reasoning work in practice.
10. Georgetown University – International Law: Protecting the World’s Interests
Location: Online
Cost: $1,895; Need-based scholarships available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: Multiple 1-4 week sessions offered throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students ages 13 and older
The International Law: Protecting the World’s Interests course explores how legal systems operate across countries and international institutions. You’ll study how treaties are negotiated, how international law develops, and how governments cooperate or conflict on global issues. Case studies introduce topics such as jurisdiction, diplomatic relations, and the legal rules governing the use of force between nations. You’ll analyze real-world disputes and explore how international law shapes responses to conflicts and global challenges.
11. Wake Forest University – Law: From Crime Scene to Conviction
Location: Online
Cost: $1,595; Need-based scholarships available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: Multiple sessions available (1-4 weeks)
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students ages 13 and older
The Law: From Crime Scene to Conviction course introduces you to how criminal cases move through the justice system from investigation to appeal. You’ll study the steps involved in a case, including evidence collection, witness testimony, trial procedures, sentencing, and appeals. Lessons explore topics such as probable cause, the Fourth Amendment, and the different roles played by judges, attorneys, and juries in criminal proceedings. You’ll practice analyzing evidence and evaluating arguments from both prosecutors and defense attorneys to understand how legal decisions are made. The course ends with a capstone project where you’ll review a case and issue a written decision as if you were an appellate judge. If you complete about 30 hours of instruction, you’ll receive a certificate of completion from Wake Forest University.
12. Georgetown University – Law: Analyze, Argue, and Advocate Like a Lawyer
Location: Online
Cost: $1,895 (enrichment course) or $3,995 (college credit option); Financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: Multiple sessions offered throughout the year (1-12 weeks)
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students ages 13 and older
The Law: Analyze, Argue, and Advocate Like a Lawyer course focuses on the analytical and communication skills lawyers use when preparing and arguing cases. You’ll work through legal case studies while learning how attorneys identify key facts, apply legal rules, and construct persuasive arguments. The curriculum introduces concepts such as constitutional rights, courtroom procedure, and the role of evidence in legal disputes. You’ll practice core legal skills like issue spotting, questioning witnesses, and organizing arguments the way attorneys prepare for trial. Lessons include video instruction, guided assignments, and mentor support throughout the program. The course ends with a capstone project in which you analyze a case and develop witness-examination questions as if preparing for a courtroom hearing.
13. Georgetown University – International Relations: How the World Works
Location: Online
Cost: $1,895 (enrichment course); $3,995 (college credit option); Financial aid offered
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Program Dates: Multiple sessions offered throughout the year (1-12 weeks)
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students ages 13 and older
The International Relations: How the World Works course introduces you to the political and legal systems that shape relationships between countries. You’ll explore topics such as diplomacy, human rights, global security, and the role of international organizations in addressing conflicts and global challenges. Lessons also examine how international law and policy affect issues like environmental change, technological development, and economic cooperation. Throughout the course, you’ll analyze case studies that show how governments respond to real global crises. The program concludes with a capstone project where you act as a national leader responding to an international issue and develop a policy strategy.
One more option – Horizon Academic Research Program
If you’re looking for a competitive mentored research program, consider applying to Horizon’s Research Seminars and Labs! This is a selective virtual research program that lets you engage in advanced research and develop a research paper on a subject of your choosing. Horizon has worked with 1000+ high school students so far and offers 600+ research specializations for you to choose from. You can find the application link here!
Image Source – Georgetown University