RIVERSIDE – After five rounds of competition, legal teams from four local high schools have advanced to the semifinals of the 37th Annual Riverside County Mock Trial Competition set for 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 2, 2019, while the final round will start promptly at 1 p.m. at the Riverside Historic Courthouse (4050 Main Street, Riverside).
The pairings for the semifinal rounds are as follows (first team listed is the prosecution, second team will be the defense):
- Poly High School vs. Murrieta Valley High School
- Martin Luther King Jr. High School vs. Valley View High School
The competition is free and open to the public. Those interested in attending are encouraged to arrive early as seating is extremely limited and late entry will not be permitted. Overflow seating will only be available for the final round. Following the final round, an awards presentation will feature medals and trophies for placing first, second, and third (two third place teams rather than third and fourth place).
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 www.rcoe.us/student-events/mock-trial.
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