RIVERSIDE – After four rounds of competition, legal teams from eight local high schools have advanced to the “Elite Eight” of the 42^nd Annual Riverside County Mock Trial Competition to be held on Thursday, February 15, 2024, at 6 p.m. at the Riverside Hall of Justice (4100 Main Street, Riverside). The semi-finals will be held on Tuesday, February 20, and the 2024 champion will be named after the final round on Thursday, February 22. The final round will take place at 6 p.m. at the Riverside Historic Courthouse (4050 Main Street, Riverside).

“Elite Eight” Round

Additionally, 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 10.

2024 Riverside County Mock Trial Photo Gallery

Mock Trial involves students arguing cases in front of real judges, while being 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.

2024 Riverside County Mock Trial Competition
BLUE RIBBON AWARD RECIPIENTS

Outstanding Courtroom Artist

1st Place – Gold Medal: Gina Namkung, Murrieta Valley High School
2nd Place – Mika Walters, Chaparral High School
3rd Place – Jay Martinez, Hemet High School

Outstanding Bailiff

1st Place – Gold Medal: Steven Biber, Martin Luther King High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Sydney Cramer, Notre Dame High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Maggie Matthes, Liberty High School

Outstanding Clerk

1st Place – Gold Medal: Josiah De Jesus, John W. North High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Xavier Felix, Notre Dame High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Gavin Strange, Temecula Valley High School

Outstanding Defense Pretrial Motion Attorney

1st Place – Gold Medal: Grace Mankin*, Notre Dame High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Alex Leary-Bright, Santiago High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Riley Ruziska, Hemet High School

* Winner of Riverside County Bar Foundation’s Honorable Douglas E. Weathers Scholarship

Outstanding Prosecution Witnesses

Witness: Emari Sunshine
1st Place – Gold Medal: Alexia Leija, Palm Desert High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Yesenia Hernandez, Liberty High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Sofia Caravella, Santiago High School

Witness: Gerri Moayed
1st Place – Gold Medal: Similie Glenn, Temecula Valley High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Caitlyn Cohen, John W. North High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Heaven Ortiz, Indio High School

Witness: K.C. Vasquez
1st Place – Gold Medal: Leela Fayssoux, Palm Desert High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Jacob Ochoa, Hemet High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Cheyenne Lunod, Great Oak High School

Witness: Nova Perren
1st Place – Gold Medal: Tess Abedi, Palm Desert High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Ashley DeGennaro, Notre Dame High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Landon Gemmill, Temecula Valley High School

Outstanding Defense Witnesses

Defendant: Tobie Clark
1st Place – Gold Medal: Brandon Fuller, Valley View High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Lia Vincent, Santiago High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Olivia Contreras, Paloma Valley High School

Witness: Nic Yang
1st Place – Gold Medal: Jared Merrill, Martin Luther King High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Saizisa Nayak, Santiago High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Janet Morales, Valley View High School

Witness: Arian Sunshine
1st Place – Gold Medal: Corinne Smith, Murrieta Valley High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Devon Stewart, Santiago High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Roudy Hendrix, Ramona High School

Witness: Parker Turner
1st Place – Gold Medal: Olivia Purdy, Martin Luther King High School
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Brenna Brantsma, Santiago High School
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Minh Lai, Notre Dame High School

Outstanding Prosecution Attorneys

Sela Carmouche**, Murrieta Valley High School
Kayla Hancock, San Jacinto High School
Aubrey Packer, Poly High School

** Winner of summer internship in District Attorney’s Office and Riverside County Bar Foundation’s Honorable Douglas E. Weathers Scholarship

Outstanding Defense Attorneys

Timothy Lim, Santiago High Schoo
Kaylee Magno***, Martin Luther King High School
Elijah Reading, Murrieta Valley High School

*** Winner of summer internship with the Public Defender’s Office and Riverside County Bar Foundation’s Honorable Douglas E. Weathers Scholarship 

Attorneys, judges, and legal professionals from across Riverside County are among the 14,000 students who have participated in Mock Trial now in its 42^nd year of competition. The month-long competition featuring 22 high school teams is sponsored by Riverside County Superior Courts, the Riverside County Bar Association, and the Riverside County Office of Education.

The winner of the Riverside County Mock Trial will represent the region at the California Mock Trial Competition March 22-24 in Los Angeles. The state winner will advance to the National Mock Trial that will be held May 2-5 in Wilmington, Delaware.

The fictional case materials provide the facts and legal background for this year's trial, People v. Clark. Sunshine Medical Components (SMC) Chief Executive Officer, Kieran Sunshine, was found murdered in a hotel room with apparent stab wounds from a small saber used to open champagne bottles. A plot to commit fraud against the SMC board of directors surfaced, and the prosecution believes this was a motive for the murder. However, multiple executives at SMC—both of whom are family members of the deceased chief executive—may also have had motive or involvement. A review of the forensic evidence, collection techniques, and the legality of technology-focused warrants, will contribute to the fictitious trial.

In the 2023 Riverside County Mock Trial finals, Murrieta Valley High School defeated Martin Luther King High School to secure the championship for the first time in school history. Third place was shared by Notre Dame High School and Hemet High School.

For a complete listing of the schedules and locations for all rounds of the competition, visit www.rcoe.us/student-events/mock-trial.