Since 2008, Mexico’s criminal justice system has been transitioning from an inquisitorial to an accusatorial model, and from a writing-based approach to one that uses oral trials featuring live witness testimony and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. Since 2013, ABA ROLI has worked with Mexican law schools to prepare the next generation of Mexican attorneys for practice in the accusatorial trial context. Despite the fact that Mexico, as of June 18, 2016, has officially adopted an accusatorial criminal justice system, there remains critical weaknesses across law school teaching methods, as noted in the ABA ROLI-produced Mexico Legal Education Reform Index assessment and the subsequent Mexico Guide for Reform of the Legal Profession and Legal Education. In 2020, ABA ROLI has engaged law schools from 24 different states in Mexico and has hosted the largest Mock Trial and Restorative Justice Competitions in the country.
Mexico Background
