In 1980, the Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) introduced the Mock Trial program, which already had a strong following in Los Angeles County, to all the counties in California. Santa Cruz County Office of Education has been providing coordination and oversight to the Santa Cruz County Mock Trial Competition since 1989. Mock Trial provides students with the opportunity to gain knowledge of our judicial system, as they study a hypothetical case, develop their analytical abilities and communication skills, and gain an understanding of their obligations and responsibilities as participating members of our society. They receive guidance from volunteer attorneys in courtroom procedures and trial preparation.
Each year, CRF creates and produces a new set of Mock Trial materials. The materials include a hypothetical criminal case (including summaries of case law, witness statements, official exhibits, and simplified rules of evidence); lesson plans on the central issues in the case, and competition rules and guidelines. This year’s case People v. Klein is the trial of Reagan Klein, a resident of East Flamingo. Klein is charged with false report of an emergency and criminal threat.
2018 Mock Trial Winners: Santa Cruz High School • Photo Courtesy of Celeste Gutierrez, Santa Cruz Office of Education
Seven teams are participating this year from seven county high schools — Aptos, Harbor, Pacific Collegiate, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Soquel, and Watsonville High.
Students have been practicing with volunteer teacher and attorney coaches for the County Mock Trial Competition since receiving their case packets in the of Fall 2018. The winning team will represent Santa Cruz County at the state finals in Sacramento, March 22-24, 2019; the National Competition is in Athens, Georgia, May 16-19, 2019.
The Santa Cruz County Office of Education sponsors the coordination of the competition with the support of the Constitutional Rights Foundation, Superior Court of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Department, and the Santa Cruz Trial Lawyers Association. Approximately 10 local Santa Cruz County Superior Court judges volunteer to preside over the hearings and over 40 local attorneys volunteer as competition scorers.
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The 2019 Mock Trial Competition
Santa Cruz Courthouse, 701 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz
- February 6: Rnd 1, 5–7 p.m. • Rnd 2, 7:30–9:30 p.m.
- February 13: Rnd 3, 5–7 p.m. • Rnd 4, 7:30–9:30 p.m.
- February 20: Semi-finals, 5 – 7 p.m.
- February 27: Finals from 5:00 – 7:00pm (Award ceremony follows immediately)
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For more information, contact Celeste Gutierrez, at 466-5713, email cgutierrez@santacruzcoe.org