Four local high school teams emerged victorious from Wednesday night’s semifinals of the Ventura County Mock Trial competition. The final four teams that will face off in tonight’s last round are:

• Adolfo Camarillo (Scorpions)

• Grace Brethren

• Oak Park (Black)

• Saint Bonaventure

The four remaining teams are among 32 from throughout Ventura County participating in this year’s Mock Trial. Tonight’s final round of competition is open to the public.

WHAT: Ventura County Mock Trial Finals

WHEN: Thursday, February 25, 2016 from 5:15 pm to approximately 8:00 pm

WHERE:  Ventura County Superior Court – 800 South Victoria Ave., Ventura

The winning team will be announced at an awards ceremony on Monday, February 29 at 6:00 pm at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center at 800 Hobson Way.

About Ventura County Mock Trial

Ventura County Mock Trial gives local students a firsthand look at the criminal justice system by having them portray the principals in a cast of courtroom characters. The roles played by the students include attorneys, witnesses, bailiffs, court clerks and sketch artists. Student teams study the hypothetical case, conduct legal research, receive guidance from volunteer attorneys in courtroom procedure and trial preparation, and present their case before volunteer judges. Close to 500 Ventura County students in grades nine through 12 participate. More than 150 local attorneys volunteer their time to score the competition. The winning Ventura County team will advance to the state mock trial to compete against their peers from across California.  

The Ventura County Office of Education and the Ventura County Superior Court host the event with support from the Constitutional Rights Foundation.

Additional information about Ventura County Mock Trial is available at: http://www.vcoe.org/mocktrial