Eight Local High School Teams Advance to Mock Trial “Elite Eight” with Individual Honors and Internships Awarded
RIVERSIDE – After four rounds of competition, legal teams from eight local high schools have advanced to the “Elite Eight” of the 38th Annual Riverside County Mock Trial Competition to be held on Thursday, February 27, 2020, at 6 pm. at the Robert Presley Hall of Justice (4100 Main Street, Riverside).
The 2020 champion will be named after the semifinals at 9 a.m. and final round at 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 29, 2020, at the Riverside Historic Courthouse
More than a dozen students were honored for top performances with blue ribbons and prestigious internships in local legal organizations after the fourth round of competition on Saturday, February 22.
“Elite Eight” Round
Prosecution vs. Defense
John W. North HS vs. Poly HS
Murrieta Valley HS vs. Notre Dame HS
Martin Luther King HS vs. Ramona HS
Valley View HS vs. Arlington HS
2020 Riverside County Mock Trial Competition
BLUE RIBBON AWARD RECIPIENTS
Outstanding Bailiff
1st Place – Gold Medal: Thomasa Guillen, Coachella Valley HS
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Matthew Gonzalez, Patriot HS
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Lidaisjah Bell, Hemet HS
Outstanding Clerk
1st Place – Gold Medal: Dylan Aguinaldo, Great Oak HS
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Melanie Quintana Reyna, Palm Desert HS
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Tishmanim Rhodes, San Jacinto HS
Outstanding Defense Pretrial Motion Attorney
1st Place – Gold Medal: Ivana Ron*, Chaparral HS
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Bilal Shokoor, Martin Luther King HS
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Isaiah Banuelos, Patriot HS
* Winner of paid summer internship in the Riverside County Courts and Riverside County Bar Foundation’s Honorable Douglas E. Weathers Scholarship
Outstanding Prosecution Pretrial Motion Attorney
1st Place – Gold Medal: Miranda Flores*, Poly HS
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Marcos Britsch, Murrieta Valley HS
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Bilal Shokoor, Martin Luther King HS
* Winner of paid summer internship in the Riverside County Courts and Riverside County Bar Foundation’s Honorable Douglas E. Weathers Scholarship
Outstanding Prosecution Witnesses
Witness:
1st Place – Gold Medal: Alayna Pezzuto, Santiago HS
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Kaylin Polk, Temecula Valley HS
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Isabella Brough, Martin Luther King HS
Witness:
1st Place – Gold Medal: Victoria Fisher, Santiago HS
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Mia Puga, Indio HS
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Precious Baltazar, Martin Luther King HS
Witness:
1st Place – Gold Medal: Hannah Makkai, Palm Valley HS
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Matthew Damian, Santiago HS
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Kyle Fox, Temecula Valley HS
Witness:
1st Place – Gold Medal: Iliana Lazaro, Arlington HS
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Keenan Cooper, Valley View HS
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Jacob Phelps, Martin Luther King HS
Outstanding Defense Witnesses
Defendant:
1st Place – Gold Medal: Roxalana Johnson, Chaparral HS
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Jorge Aragon, Heritage HS
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Amory Martin, Ramona HS
Witness:
1st Place – Gold Medal: Charles Sands, Poly HS
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Grace Velasquez, Temecula Preparatory
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Amelia Lucas, Murrieta Valley HS
Witness:
1st Place – Gold Medal: Konrad Verbaarschott, Great Oak HS
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Carter Yoon, Palm Desert HS
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Hannah Alarcon, Martin Luther King HS
Witness:
1st Place – Gold Medal: Rebekah Marmolejo, Arlington HS
2nd Place – Silver Medal: Jennifer Hibbard, Poly HS
3rd Place – Bronze Medal: Nicholas Duran, Martin Luther King HS
Outstanding Prosecution Attorneys
Melanie Voorhis*, Notre Dame HS
Emma Alexander, Ramona HS
Esmeralda Salcedo, Murrieta Valley HS
** Winner of summer internship in District Attorney’s Office and Riverside County Bar Foundation’s Honorable Douglas E. Weathers Scholarship
Outstanding Defense Attorneys
Josiah Jones*, Valley View HS
Rachel Danover, Chaparral HS
Guinivere Kimber, Poly HS
*** Winner of summer internship with the Public Defender’s Office and Riverside County Bar Foundation’s Honorable Douglas E. Weathers Scholarship
Mock Trial involves students arguing cases in front of real judges, and scored by practicing 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.
Attorneys, judges, and legal professionals from across Riverside County are among the 14,000 students who have participated in Mock Trial now in its 38th year of competition. The month-long competition is sponsored by Riverside County Superior Courts, the Riverside County Bar Association, and the Riverside County Office of Education.
The fictional case materials provide the facts and legal background for this year’s trial, People v. Matsumoto. The trial is focused on Bailey Matsumoto, the founder of a technology start-up that develops autonomous (self-driving) trucks. Bailey is charged with the murder of Bailey’s spouse, Taylor Matsumoto.