Contra Costa County Mock Trial Program Looking for Attorneys to Assist

Miramonte High School, 2010 Mock Trial Winners

Bay Area practicing and retired attorneys are needed to provide assistance to their future brethren at the 30th Annual Contra Costa County High School Mock Trial Program, held in early evenings throughout the month of February and early March, at the Martinez Court Houses. (Complete listing of dates and times listed below.) Along with attorneys, 2nd- and 3rd-year law students are also welcome to participate with the scoring process. Last year, 100 Bay Area practicing and retired attorneys, law students, and sworn judges volunteered their time with Contra Costa County’s Mock Trials.

Coordinated by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE), Mock Trial is an academic activity for high school students. The hands-on educational program was created to help students acquire a working knowledge of our judicial system, develop analytical abilities and communication skills, and gain an understanding of their obligations and responsibilities as participating members of our society. This year’s case is a murder trial: People vs. Woodson.

Teams of high school students work with teachers and attorney coaches to prepare their version of the criminal case, from both the prosecution and defense perspectives. Students assume the roles of trial attorneys, pre-trial motion attorneys, witnesses, clerks, bailiffs, artists, and court journalists. Real life judges and attorneys score their performance and provide immediate feedback. Winning teams advance through seven rounds of competition. The county’s champion advances to the State finals. This year, there will be 16 Contra Costa County high school Mock Trial teams competing.

Attorneys and law students, who volunteer with this program, will score the two competing schools that argue their cases in court. Each night, will begin with a 15-minute rules and regulations session, then the volunteers will go into their scheduled courtrooms to serve as Mock Trial scorers—between three to seven scorers in each courtroom. The Mock Trials’ scorers are made up of Bay Area district attorneys, public defenders, and private practice and corporate lawyers, as well as seasoned law students. A practicing judge or commissioner will preside over each trial, and also serves as one of the trial’s scorers.

The two highest-scoring teams will advance to the finals on Tuesday, March 1. The winning team will then represent Contra Costa County at the State Mock Trial competition in Riverside, Calif., March 25-27. The California state finalist team will then compete in the National Mock Trial Competition, held in Phoenix, Ariz., May 5-7.

Schedule for 2011 Contra Costa County High School Mock Trials
• Preliminaries Rounds: February 8, 10, 15, 17 (5:00-8:00 p.m.)
• Quarterfinals: February 22 (5:00-8:00 p.m.)
• Semifinals: February 24 (5:00-8:00 p.m.)
• Finals and Consolation: March 1 (5:00-8:00 p.m.)

Interested attorneys and 2nd- and-3rd-year law students can find out how to serve as Mock Trial scorers by contacting Jonathan Lance, at jlance@ccccoe.k12.ca.us or (925) 942-3429. Participants may review and fill out this Attorney Volunteer Form, then e-mail back to Jonathan Lance.

In 1977, the Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) introduced the concept of mock trials to the Los Angeles schools. In 1980, the program expanded to the state level. The California Mock Trial Program currently involves more than 35 counties and over 8,000 student participants from more than 400 teams. Approximately 1,500 attorney volunteers serve as team coaches and scorers, and 500 Municipal, Superior, and Appellate Court judges preside over the trials.

Miramonte High School named Contra Costa County Mock Trial Champions

On March 4, Miramonte (Orinda) High School was named Contra Costa County’s Mock Trial Champion. Held at the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE), the crowded room gave hearty congratulations to the team, and plenty of encouragement for their upcoming matches in the California State Mock Trials. This was Miramonte’s 4^th Mock Trial County Championship in a row.

For seven consecutive Tuesday and Thursday evenings in February and March, 10 Contra Costa County high school teams have been battling it out in the courtrooms of Martinez with a hypothetical murder trial. The final-two matches Miramonte vs. Campolindo (Championship Round) and Acalanes vs. California (Consolation Round) were held March 2 in the courtrooms of the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse, in Martinez. Along with the Miramonte team, the following three teams in their respective rankings were also awarded: Campolindo (2^nd place), California (3^rd place), and Acalanes (4^th place). In addition, there were a number of individual awards for outstanding achievement presented to students who represented all of the participating teams.

Miramonte High School Mock Trial Team

This year’s participating Mock Trial schools include Acalanes (Lafayette), Alhambra (Martinez), Antioch, California (San Ramon), Campolindo (Moraga), Dougherty Valley (San Ramon), Miramonte (Orinda), Hercules, Heritage (Brentwood), and Northgate (Walnut Creek).

Contra Costa County Presiding Superior Court Judge Mary Ann O’Malley gave her overwhelmingly positive thoughts and observations about how impressive all the students performed during Mock Trials. “I look forward to seeing you all serving as attorneys in my courtroom in the very near future. And, I know some of you will be joining me at the Judge’s Bench, as well.”

Judge O'Malley with three of the five Judges' Choice Award Winners

Miramonte will represent Contra Costa County in the California State Mock Trial Competition, held in San Jose, March 19-21. (The California state finalist team will then compete in the National Mock Trial Competition, held in Philadelphia, Penn., May 6-8.)

Mock Trial is an academic activity for high school students coordinated by the Contra Costa County Office of Education, and sponsored by the Constitutional Rights Foundation. The purpose of this program is to teach students about the law and the workings of the legal system. Each participant portrays the part of a courtroom character such as an attorney, witness, court clerk, or bailiff. To prepare, the students conduct legal research and receive guidance on courtroom procedures from their school teachers and volunteer attorney coaches, where they acquire a working knowledge of the judicial system, develop analytic abilities and presentation skills.

An impressive number of 85 Bay Area practicing and retired attorneys, senior law students, and sworn judges volunteered their time to serve as Mock Trial Attorney Scorers and Judges with this year’s program.