After several days of fierce courtroom competition—and thoughtful deliberations by esteemed judges—the verdicts are in for the 2018 Gordon D. Schaber Mock Trial and Moot Court competitions. In Sacramento County, Sacramento Country Day School is the winner of the Mock Trial competition. Christian Brothers High School (Team 1) earned top honors in the Moot Court competition.
Rio Americano High School placed second in the Mock Trial competition, and Bella Vista High School (Team 1) was the runner-up in the Moot Court competition.
Sacramento Country Day School will advance to the California Mock Trial Competition, which will be held in Santa Ana, March 16–18. California does not hold a statewide Moot Court competition.
Teams from 14 Sacramento County high schools, plus two teams from Yolo County, competed in the 38th annual event. Volunteers from local law firms and other legal organizations served as scoring and presiding judges for the five-day event. The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE), which coordinates the competitions, announced winners at the awards ceremonies held on February 27 and February 28.
Mock Trial Results
Sacramento County
- 1st Place: Sacramento Country Day School (Private)
- 2nd Place: Rio Americano High School (San Juan Unified)
- 3rd Place: Elk Grove High School (Elk Grove Unified)
- 4th Place: Del Campo High School (San Juan Unified)
- 5th Place: Jesuit High School (Diocese of Sacramento)
- 6th Place: Sheldon High School (Elk Grove Unified)
- 7th Place: Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep Charter High School (Natomas Unified)
- 8th Place: St. Francis High School (Diocese of Sacramento)
Yolo County
- 1st Place: Da Vinci Charter Academy (Davis Joint Unified)
Moot Court Results
- 1st Place: Christian Brothers High School (Team 1)
- 2nd Place: Bella Vista High School (Team 1)
- 3rd Place: Mira Loma High School (Team 5)
- 4th Place: Mira Loma High School (Team 1)
About Mock Trial and Moot Court
The Mock Trial competition simulates a trial-level proceeding in which students portray the roles of pre-trial counsel, prosecuting and defense attorneys, witnesses, court clerks, bailiffs, and jurors before a single presiding judge and two scoring judges. It includes courtroom art and courtroom journalism competitions. The county Mock Trial winner advances to a statewide competition.
The Moot Court competition is an appellate-level proceeding in which students prepare and argue a case before a panel of three judges who 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.
About the State Mock Trial Competition
The California Mock Trial competition is sponsored by the Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF), a non-profit, non-partisan, community-based organization dedicated to educating America’s young people about the importance of civic participation in a democratic society.