The Ventura County Office of Education is pleased to announce the eight high school teams that will move on to the semifinal round of the 2024 Ventura County Mock Trial competition. Twenty-one local high schools fielded teams in the initial Mock Trial rounds that were held last weekend at the County Courthouse in Ventura. The following eight teams had the highest scores and will advance to the semifinals:

• Oak Park High School (Team 1)
• Oak Park High School (Team 2)
• Royal High School
• Santa Susana High School (Team 2)
• St. Augustine Academy (Team 2)
• Trinity Pacific Christian School (Team 1)
• Trinity Pacific Christian School (Team 2)
• Westlake High School (Team 2)

The mock trial semifinals will take place on Saturday, February 24. The top four remaining teams will advance to the finals on Sunday, February 25.

Middle School Competition Enters Second Year

For the second year in a row, the Ventura County Mock Trial includes a separate competition for middle school students. This year, ten local middle schools are fielding teams. That’s double the number that participated last year. The middle school competition and awards take place on Tuesday, February 27.

More about the 2024 Ventura County Mock Trial

The Mock Trial competition is coordinated annually by the Ventura County Office of Education. The event brings courtroom drama to life as students take on the roles of participants in a criminal case, including attorneys, witnesses, bailiffs, and journalists. The students present their cases in real courtrooms before actual judges. Local attorneys volunteer to serve as scorers. This year’s fictitious case is People v. Clark, which is about the murder of a technology company CEO.

This is the first time in its over 40-year history that the high school Mock Trial competition is being held on weekends instead of weekday nights. The move means students no longer have to stay up late on school nights and makes transportation easier for students and their families.

The high schools participating in this year’s Mock Trial are:

• Adolfo Camarillo High School
• Agoura High School
• Buena High School
• Channel Islands
• Fillmore High School
• Hueneme High School
• La Reina High School
• Newbury Park High School
• Nordhoff High School
• Oak Park High School
• Oaks Christian School
• Rio Mesa High School
• Royal High School
• Saint Bonaventure High School
• Santa Paula High School
• Santa Susana High School
• St. Augustine Academy
• Thousand Oaks High School
• Trinity Pacific Christian School
• Ventura High School
• Westlake High School

Middle schools participating this year are:

• Hillside Middle School
• Isbell Middle School
• Las Colinas Middle School
• Medea Creek Middle School
• Mesa Union Middle School
• Monte Vista Middle School
• Rio del Sol Middle School
• Sinaloa Middle School
• Trinity Pacific Christian Middle School
• Valley View Middle School

The winning high school team will go on to the state Mock Trial contest which takes place in Los Angeles in March. Ventura County has taken first place at the state level in 2021, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2008. This year’s Ventura County Mock Trial logo artwork was created by Ella Ochoa from Channel Islands High School.

Additional information about the 2023 Ventura County Mock Trial is available at vcoe.org/mocktrial.