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Fair Hearing / Listening Protocol Template

Purpose​

This template gives learners fair-hearing steps for low-stakes disputes.

When to Use It​

  • Week 16
  • Week 17 mock trial preparation
  • Any small hearing where both sides need notice, evidence, and a chance to respond

Student Directions​

Fill in the realistic timing and roles for your own small court or group process.

Facilitator Notes​

  • Use only low-stakes disputes.
  • If the situation involves bullying, abuse, trauma, humiliation, family secrets, money pressure, or intense emotional history, stop and switch to fiction.
  • The goal is fair process, not winning.
  • Do not simulate police questioning, interrogation, or punitive cross-examination.
  • Build in AAC, interpretation, translation, captioning, visuals, or extra time if learners need them.

Template​

FAIR HEARING STEPS FOR ____________________

1. NOTICE
How the responding person will be told what the issue is:

2. TIME TO PREPARE
Minimum time before the hearing:

3. ACCESS TO EVIDENCE
What documents, messages, or observations must be shared first:

4. ACCESS SUPPORTS
How AAC, translation, visuals, note-taking, or extra time will be provided:

5. ORDER OF SPEAKING
Who speaks first:
Who responds second:
How questions are asked:

6. NEUTRAL DECIDER
Who hears the case:
What happens if that person is involved or biased:

7. WRITTEN OR SPOKEN RULING
How the decision will be recorded:

8. REVIEW OR APPEAL STEP
What happens if someone says the process was skipped or misused:

Younger Learner Adaptation​

  • Reduce to four steps: tell them, let them prepare, let both sides talk, write the answer down.
  • Use icons or a picture checklist.

Older Learner Extension​

  • Add a burden-of-proof line.
  • Add a short section on what counts as relevant evidence.
  • Compare your fair-hearing steps to a school discipline process, sports hearing, or real court summary.
  • Add a note on how to check whether a screenshot, quote, or clip may be incomplete or edited.