Washington Courts: Press Release Detail

YMCA Mock Trial State Championship This Weekend in Olympia

Hundreds of Washington state high school finalists will compete this weekend as defendants, attorneys and witnesses on both sides of a fictitious criminal case in which a person is shot and the shooter claims self-defense based on safety concerns.

The 2018 YMCA Mock Trial State Finals Competition includes 24 high school teams from around the state competing against each other on March 23-25 at the Thurston County Courthouse in Olympia. The students engage in four rounds of competition, serving alternately as prosecution and defense in the mock trials, before the top two teams compete for the championship on Sunday.

Judges and attorneys from across the state volunteer throughout the weekend to preside over the trials and rate the teams during the rounds to determine winners. The competition begins at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the Courthouse, 2000 Lakeridge Dr. SW in Olympia., with teams competing in courtrooms throughout the courthouse buildings. On Saturday, competition continues with rounds beginning at 9:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Washington Supreme Court Justice Steven González will preside over the championship trial Sunday at 11:30 a.m., which will be televised by TVW. Justice González will also speak at the breakfast for all teams just prior to the final round.

The state champion team will then be eligible to compete in the national 2018 YMCA National Mock Trial Championship in Reno, Nevada in May. In 2017 the Washington State champion, Seattle Prep, placed 12th in the national competition, with student Rachel Wang earning a Best Witness award.

Teams competing in the 2018 state finals include:

Benton/Franklin counties

• Tri Cities Prep

Chelan County

• The River Academy
• Wenatchee High School

Clark County

• Camas High School
• Cascadia Technical Academy

Jefferson County

• Port Townsend High School

King County

• Franklin High School
• Seattle Prep
• Chief Sealth International High School
• Bellevue High School
• King’s High School
• Hockinson High School
• Holy Names Academy
• Skyline High School
• International Community School
• Mercer Island High School

Snohomish County

• Archbishop Murphy High School
• Marysville Pilchuck High School

Whatcom County

• Meridian High School

Mock Trial is part of the YMCA Youth & Government Program, which works to help young people experience democracy in action through both Mock Trial and the YMCA Youth Legislature program. The Youth & Government program celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2017, and the Mock Trial program celebrated its 30th anniversary the same year.

Also sponsoring the event are the Administrative Office of the Courts, the Washington State Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division, TVW, the Washington Judges Foundation and the District and Municipal Court Judges’ Association.

Mock Trial allows students to participate in a true-to-life courtroom drama. High school teams of attorneys and witnesses prepare the case for trial and compete at district levels before real judges in actual courtrooms. “Juries" of attorneys rate the teams for their presentation, while the presiding judges rule on the motions, objections, and ultimately the merits. Participants develop critical thinking and analytical skills, learn the art of oral advocacy, and gain a respect for the role of law and the judiciary.

CONTACT: Brent Gaither,YMCA Youth & Government Executive Director,(336) 918-2090; or Clark County Superior Court Judge Robert Lewis, Mock Trial State Program Chairman,(360) 397-2226.