The 19th Annual San Diego County High School Mock Trial Competition fielded a record number of competitors with local high school students arguing a realistic criminal trial scenario.

Mock Trial is a program that gives students hands-on experience learning about the law and the Constitution. This year’s trial concerns kidnapping charges with the alleged victim and the spouse of their political rival as the suspect. The pretrial issue involves Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination and students argue the question of whether a statement made to police was voluntary or not.

A total of 782 San Diego County high school students are participating in the event, making it the largest competition to date. Students from 40 San Diego County high schools have fielded 42 teams during the competition. The competition takes place over four rounds throughout February, filling 21 courtrooms in the downtown San Diego Central Courthouse for each round. California Supreme Court Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero is scheduled to address the students at the award ceremony on Saturday, February 22. The local winner, to be determined at the championship round on Tuesday, February 25, will advance to and represent San Diego County in the Statewide Mock Trial Competition next month.

The Mock Trial Competition places high school students in realistic courtroom settings before actual state and federal judges. In those courtrooms, the students assume the roles of lawyers, witnesses, clerks, and bailiffs facing off on a hypothetical case.

“The San Diego County High School Mock Trial Competition is one of the most anticipated and popular events held at the court each year. We are always impressed with the level of energy, dedication and preparation the participating students bring to their trials,” said San Diego Superior Court Presiding Judge Maureen F. Hallahan. “It is inspiring to see firsthand, the confidence, skill and adaptability the participating students display when confronted with a complicated set of facts. Their poise and ability to present both sides of a case in a courtroom, an environment they are not familiar with, is evidence that the future of our justice system is bright.”

The annual Mock Trial Competition is a premier civic and legal event. State and federal judges volunteer their time during the trials and attorneys from different practice areas throughout the County spend many hours coaching the high school students or serving as scorers during the competition.

The annual event is hosted at the San Diego Superior Court’s Central Courthouse and coordinated by the Mock Trial Committee which includes representatives from the San Diego Superior Court, the San Diego County Bar Association, U.S. District Court Southern District of California, San Diego County Office of Education, San Diego City Attorney’s Office, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, San Diego County Public Defender’s Office, Federal Defenders, Inc., U.S. Attorney’s Office, and San Diego Paralegal Association.

2025 MOCK TRIAL EVENTS:

• Thursday, February 6
  • 5:00 p.m. – Round One
• Tuesday, February 11
  • 5:00 p.m. – Round Two
• Wednesday, February 19
  • 5:00 p.m. – Round Three
• Saturday, February 22
  • 8:30 a.m. – Round Four
  • 12:15 p.m. – Award Ceremony
    • All students, teachers and coaches are invited to attend the awards ceremony to recognize the best individual performances and announce the top 10 teams
    • California Supreme Court Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero scheduled to be keynote speaker
  • 2:00 p.m. – Semi-Final Round
    • The top four teams compete to determine who will go on to the championship round
• Tuesday, February 25
  • 5:00 p.m. – Championship Round 
    • Top two teams; winner will go to the statewide Mock Trial competition

The semi-final, round, awards ceremony and championship round will be live-streamed via links posted to sdmocktrial.org. School teachers and students wishing to learn more about the program may request more information by emailing [email protected].

For more information on the San Diego Superior Court, please visit sdcourt.ca.gov.