Awards ceremony acknowledges blue ribbon recipients and internships with Riverside County Public Defender’s Office, Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, and the Riverside County Superior Court following fourth round of student competition.
RIVERSIDE – After four rounds of competition, legal teams from eight local high schools have advanced to the “Elite Eight” of the 37th Annual Riverside County Mock Trial Competition to be held on Wednesday, February 27, 2019, at 6 pm. at the Robert Presley Hall of Justice (4100 Main Street, Riverside).
“Elite Eight” Round
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PROSECUTION |
DEFENSE |
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Notre Dame High School |
Valley View High School |
Xavier College Preparatory |
Poly High School |
John W. North High School |
Murrieta Valley High School |
Great Oak High School |
Martin Luther King High School |
The 2019 champion will be named after the semifinals at 9 a.m. and final round at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 2, 2019, at the Riverside Historic Courthouse
More than a dozen students were honored for top performances with blue ribbons and prestigious internships in local legal organizations after the fourth round of competition on Saturday, February 23.
2019 Riverside County Mock Trial Competition
BLUE RIBBON AWARD RECIPIENTS
Outstanding Bailiff
1st Place – Gold Medal: Olivia O’Connor, Poly High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Johnny Andrade, Ramona High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Marcel Barrios, Arlington High School
Outstanding Clerk
1st Place – Gold Medal: Aliya Tahir, Valley View High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Gianna Quintero, Murrieta Valley High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Katie Stone, Great Oak High School
Outstanding Defense Pretrial Motion Attorney
1st Place – Gold Medal: Jennifer Hibbard *, Poly High High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Ivana Ron, Chaparral High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Nicholas Delzompo, Murrieta Valley High School
Outstanding Prosecution Pretrial Motion Attorney
1st Place – Gold Medal: Nicholas Delzompo *, Murrieta Valley High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Alpha-Ruth Muyambo, Valley View High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Jennifer Hibbard, Poly High School
Outstanding Prosecution Witnesses
Witness: Sawyer Smith
1st Place – Gold Medal: Brooklyn Bush, Hemet High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Lauren Trippeer, Palm Desert High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Devin Davis, Valley View High School
Witness: Cameron Holmes
1st Place – Gold Medal: Fallop Heaslip, Murrieta Valley High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Fatima Castillo, Patriot High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Taylor Schlicht, Xavier College Prepatory
Witness: Officer Keegan Lopez
1st Place – Gold Medal: David Sepulveda, Valley View High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Zachary Zirzow, Martin Luther King High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Emily Kubaski, Patriot High School
Witness: Dr. Dakota Cheung
1st Place – Gold Medal: Ian McPherson, Valley View High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Gabriela Ramirez, Arlington High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Jesus Arzapalo, Xavier College Preparatory
Outstanding Defense Witnesses
Defendant: Reagan Klein
1st Place – Gold Medal: Jenna West, Murrieta Valley High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Mia Filice, Xavier College Preparatory
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Susana Toner, Poly High School
Witness: Marlow Patterson
1st Place – Gold Medal: Amanda Laule, Palm Valley High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Italia Ivers, Ramona High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Sofia Mirabal, Heritage High School
Witness 6: Sam Kolostian
1st Place – Gold Medal: Konrad Verbaarschott, Great Oak High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Christian Velasco, Ramona High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Gabriella Ramirez, Temecula Preparatory Academy
Witness 7: Dr. Blake Williams
1st Place – Gold Medal: Mira Oflus, Murrieta Valley High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Shelbie Nelson, Poly High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: :Lindsay Fokwa, John W. North High School
Outstanding Prosecution Attorneys
Matthew Arnold*, Notre Dame High School
Sophie Gengler, Palm Desert High School
Josiah Jones, Valley View High School
Outstanding Defense Attorneys
Emma Alexander*, Ramona High School
Rachel Heil, Poly High School
Sydney Magno, Martin Luther King High School
* Winner of summer internship with the Public Defender’s Office and Riverside County Bar Foundation’s Honorable Douglas E. Weathers Scholarship
This year’s mock trial case centers on celebrity “swatting” hoaxes aimed at fraudulently claiming the need for emergency services. The fictional case materials provide the facts and legal background for this year’s trial, People v. Klein. People v. Klein is the trial of Reagan Klein, a young adult resident of the fictional town of East Flamingo, California. Reagan is charged with two felony counts: making a false report of an emergency (in this case, commonly referred to as “swatting”) and making a criminal threat.
The competition started in early February with 24 local high school teams who argue cases in front of real judges, and are scored by practicing attorneys. The competition is open to all students in grades 9 through 12 enrolled in public and private high schools in Riverside County. Teams consist of 8-25 students filling the courtroom roles of defense and prosecution attorneys, witnesses, clerks, and more.
Attorneys, judges, and legal professionals from across Riverside County are among the 14,000 students who have participated in Mock Trial now in its 37th year of competition. The month-long competition is sponsored by Riverside County Superior Courts, the Riverside County Bar Association, and the Riverside County Office of Education. For a complete listing of the schedules and locations for all rounds of the competition, visit the Student Events MOCK TRIAL page.
The winning team will represent the county at the California Mock Trial competition to be hosted in Sacramento on March 22-24, 2019. The National Mock Trial Competition will be held May 10-12, 2019, in Athens, Georgia.
In 2018, Riverside’s Martin Luther King High School defeated Poly High School in the finals to capture their first title since 2007 and advance to the state competition. Third place was shared by Murrieta Valley High School and Ramona High School.
Riverside County Mock Trial Historical Results:
- 2018 – Martin Luther King High School
- 2017 – Poly High School
- 2016 – Poly High School
- 2015 – Hemet High School
- 2014 – Poly High School
- 2013 – Poly High School
- 2012 – Poly High School
- 2011 – Poly High School
- 2010 – Woodcrest Christian High School
- 2009 – Poly High School
- 2008 – Temecula Valley High School
- 2007 – Martin Luther King High School
- 2006 – Woodcrest Christian High School
- 2005 – Poly High School
- 2004 – Poly High School
- 2003 – Poly High School
- 2002 – Poly High School
- 2001 – Arlington High School
- 2000 – John W. North High School
- 1999 – Woodcrest Christian High School
- 1998 – Temecula Valley High School
- 1997 – Corona High School
- 1996 – Poly High School
- 1995 – Norte Vista High School
- 1994 – Arlington High School**
- 1993 – Arlington High School
- 1992 – Poly High School
- 1991 – Poly High School
- 1990 – Poly High School
- 1989 – John W. North High School
- 1988 – Poly High School
- 1987 – Poly High School
- 1986 – John W. North High School
- 1985 – Ramona High School
- 1984 – Ramona High School
- 1983 – Perris High School
** Mock Trial National Champion