The semi-finals of the 31st Annual Santa Cruz County Mock Trial Competition took place at the county courthouse from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18 and with the finals on Feb. 20. The winning team will represent Santa Cruz County at the state finals in Los Angeles March 20-22.
In preliminary rounds this month, teams participated from nine high schools: Aptos, Harbor, Pacific Collegiate, Pajaro Valley, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, San Lorenzo Valley, Soquel, and Watsonville.
Aptos High School students on the mock trial defense team assemble in the courthouse. • Photo Credit: Kevin Mitchener
Aptos High students participating are: Aaron Buchanan, Katherine Walton, Anabel Willy, Chris Whaley, Carmella Rennell, Keegan Martin, Isabelle Smith, Alex Schmidt, and Lily Mejia for the prosecution, and Holden Barker, Jacob Sandler, Jamie Walton, Cameron Barrett, Russell Voris, Emily Marschall-Niswonger, Celia Ruiz, Matthew Biehl for the defense. Maddy Demers plays the bailiff and Cat Ontiveros and Sam Danish are understudies.
Their coach is teacher Kevin Mitchener, with help from attorney coaches Heidi Simonson and Jack Ueberrhein.
This is the first time every comprehensive high school has a team in the mock trial, which started Feb. 5 and is coordinated by the Santa Cruz County Office of Education Student Support Services Department.
Starting in 1980, the Constitutional Rights Foundation introduced the mock trail program to all the counties in California to give students the opportunity to learn about the judicial system. The teams study a hypothetical case, develop analytical abilities and communication skills, and discover their obligations and responsibilities as participating members of our society. They receive guidance from volunteer attorneys in courtroom procedures and trial preparation.
Thirteen local Santa Cruz County Superior Court judges volunteer to preside over the hearings and 40 local attorneys volunteer as competition scorers.
This year’s case, People v. Matsumoto, is the trial of 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.
Support for the competition comes from Superior Court of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Department.
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Santa Cruz County Courthouse: 701 Ocean St., Santa Cruz.
www.santacruzcoe.org/Mock-Trial-Important-Dates-2019-2020
Story By Jondi Gumz