Courtroom Mysteries

Courtroom Mysteries is a competitive detective game made for 1-3 players to take on the role of investigating lawyers, with optional rules for extra players to be Jurors or Witnesses. Players draft clues by matching suits (♠♦♥) to the clue they want to pursue. Reach different conclusions as you follow divergent leads, then argue the outcome of a murder mystery in a courtroom battle.

The game takes place in the fictional Himitsu Republic, an island nation located between Japan and Hawai’i. The nation has a mixed Japanese/American population, and has had a difficult history. A consequence of this history is that members of the legal profession investigate all murder mysteries.

In the investigation phase you match playing card symbols (♠♦♥) to draft clues. Cards come out 3 at a time from a case deck, and will have a Suit and Action, like "♥ Search the Body". Each player will draft one clue each round. The different clues you draft will cause you and your friends to arrive at different conclusions. Based on what you've learned, you then choose a legal role: Prosecutor (if you think you know who's guilty), Defence (if you think the Prosecutor is wrong) and Judge (If you're still not sure).

You then reveal your conflicting evidence in a courtroom battle where you convince your friends that you are right! The Prosecutor and Defence must try to persuade the court that they are right. In contrast, the Judge must solve the case while keeping the court divided, preventing any plea deals and thwarting a Jury consensus.