For the first time in four years, Notre Dame High School in Riverside bested teams from multiple campuses throughout Riverside County to win the county’s annual Mock Trial Competition, it was announced Friday.
The contest’s final round was held late Thursday afternoon at the Riverside Historic Courthouse, where Notre Dame High squared off with MLK High, also in the Riverside Unified School District, culminating in Notre Dame’s team racking up the highest score to be crowned champions.
The 44th annual trials got underway in mid January, and over the monthlong period, teams from more than two dozen campuses participated. The last time Notre Dame High captured the championship title was February 2022.
“Congratulations to all the student competitors who exhibited extraordinary poise and professionalism that powerfully demonstrates how competitions like the Riverside County Mock Trial are preparing them for a future in the legal field, in higher education and endless opportunities,” county Superintendent of Schools Edwin Gomez said. “I look forward to seeing the county’s top team from Notre Dame High School compete for a state championship.”
The team will now represent the county at the California Mock Trial Competition, slated for March 20-22 in Oakland.
The Office of Education, in partnership with the Constitutional Rights Foundation, Riverside County Bar Association and the Superior Court, sponsor the local competitions annually. The county began holding student-level mock trials in 1983. More than 14,000 youths have participated since then, organizers said.
This year’s contest challenged participants to successfully argue the fictitious case of “People v. Fromholz,” involving an alleged retribution murder tied to outrage felt by the defendant over his encounter with a food critic, who found the man’s cuisine unpalatable — and said so publicly.
Students were tasked with analyzing forensic evidence, admissibility of statements, possible due process infringements and other matters during the trials. There were 26 teams registered for the opening round last month. They consisted of eight to 25 students playing the parts of deputy district attorneys, defense attorneys, bailiffs, witnesses, clerks and investigators.
Contestants were given allotted time, about four to six minutes, at each stage of a proceeding, including opening statements, closing arguments and cross-examinations. Practicing attorneys and judges assessed students’ performance, awarding points in accordance with criteria established for the contest.
MLK High took second place this year, while Poly High School and Ramona High School, both in the Riverside Unified School District, shared third place.
Poly High won the county’s 2025 contest, repeating on its victory in 2024.
Additional information is available at www.rcoe.us/student-events/mock-trial.