The student attorneys raised some serious legal questions in court. Is there a reasonable expectation of privacy under the Fourth Amendment in the text messages stored on cellular phones? Are searches of cell phones permissible?
After extensive deliberation, a panel of judges, who had heard the fictional case, ruled that the Mira Loma High School (Team 1) student attorneys were the winners of the 2015 Gordon D. Schaber Sacramento County Moot Court competition. Bella Vista High School (Team 1) was awarded second place and Christian Brothers High School (Team 1) placed third, followed by Bella Vista High School (Team 2) in fourth.
Third District Court of Appeal Presiding Justice Vance W. Raye, Associate Justice Elena J. Duarte, and Associate Justice Ronald B. Robie from the 3rd District Court of Appeal presided over the final case.
The Moot Court competition is an appellate-level proceeding in which high school students prepare and argue a case before a three-judge panel. The judges evaluate participants on the quality and persuasiveness of their legal reasoning and presentation, as well as their unscripted responses to spontaneous questions from the bench. The competition provides students the opportunity to learn about constitutional law and develop crucial public speaking and debate skills.
Competing teams came from the following Sacramento County schools:
- Bella Vista High School (2 teams)
- Christian Brothers High School (2 teams)
- Franklin High School (2 teams)
- Mira Loma High School (4 Teams)
- Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Charter High School
- West Campus High School
The Gordon D. Schaber Sacramento County Moot Court competition is sponsored by the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) in an effort to educate young people about the importance of civic participation in a democratic society.