At the heart of the Western intellectual tradition, particularly the value it places on the critical analysis of civic life, or social studies, lies the story of a trial. If the story of a trial lies at the root of social studies, then it comes as no surprise that many teachers find that trials can serve as excellent teaching tools, especially for courses in history and government. Thinking carefully about what makes trials so amenable to teaching can help teachers clarify instructional goals and hone the techniques they use to achieve them. It also can help teachers choose the best trials for their own classroom needs. In this article, the author describes teachable trials in the social studies classroom and presents a few of many observations and assignments that could be used when teaching powerful trials.