Temecula Students Advance to Final Four in County Mock Trial Semifinals

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA – After five rounds of courtroom competition, legal teams from four local high schools have advanced to the final four at the 34th Annual Riverside County Mock Trial Competition. The semifinals and will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 4, 2017, while the final round will start promptly at 1 p.m. at the Riverside Historic Courthouse (4050 Main Street, Riverside).

The pairings for the semifinal rounds are as follows with the first team listed as the prosecution and the second team as the defense.

• Murrieta Valley High School vs. Great Oak High School
• Martin Luther King High School vs. Poly High School

The competition is free and open to the public. Those interested in attending are encouraged to arrive early as seating is limited and late entry will not be permitted. Following the final round, an awards presentation will feature medals and trophies for placing first, second, or third (two third place teams rather than third and fourth place).

Mock Trial involves students arguing cases in front of real judges, and scored by real 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.

This year, student competitors are arguing the fictional case of People v. Awbrey. The trial focuses on Cameron Awbrey, a restaurant owner, who is being charged with human trafficking and false imprisonment of Lin Stark, an immigrant from the country of Tanterra.

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

The Riverside County Mock Trial is sponsored by the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE), the Riverside County Bar Association (RCBA), and the Riverside Superior Courts, in cooperation with the Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF). Since 1983, more than 13,000 Riverside County students have participated in Mock Trial.

– SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION BY: Office of the Riverside County Superintendent of Schools / Image via Shutterstock