Washington Courts: Press Release Detail2014 Mock Trial State Championship and a Dickens murder interruptedMarch 27, 2014
Hundreds of Washington state high school students will compete this weekend as attorneys and witnesses in a fictitious criminal trial inspired by both an unfinished Charles Dickens novel and recent criminal cases around Washington.
The YMCA Mock Trial State Finals Competition will pit 20 high school teams from around the state against each other March 28 – 30 at the Thurston County Courthouse in Olympia. The students engage in four rounds of competition, serving alternately as prosecution and defense teams of attorneys and witnesses in the mock trials.
The top two teams compete for the championship on Sunday, which will be televised by TVW. Clark County Superior Court Judge Robert Lewis serves as Program Chair of the statewide YMCA Mock Trial program. The fictional case was written by King County Superior Court Judge William Downing. The championship team will go on to compete in the national Mock Trial competition in Madison, Wisconsin from May 8-10.
Judges and attorneys from across the state volunteer throughout the weekend to preside over the trials and rate the teams. The competition begins at 7 p.m. Friday at the Thurston County Courthouse, 2000 Lakeridge Dr. SW in Olympia, with teams competing throughout the three courthouse buildings. On Saturday, competition continues with rounds beginning at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Washington Supreme Court Justice Debra Stephens will preside over the championship round at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday in Thurston County Superior Court.
Schools competing in the 2014 state finals competition (there may be more than one team from a school) include:
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 60th anniversary in 2007, and the Mock Trial program celebrated its 20th 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: Sarah Clinton, YMCA Youth & Government Executive Director, (360) 357-3475; Clark County Superior Court Judge Robert Lewis, Mock Trial State Program Chairman, (360) 397-2226; Lorrie Thompson, Communications Officer, Administrative Office of the Courts, (360) 705-5347, Lorrie.Thompson@courts.wa.gov
Washington Courts Media Contacts:
|
Privacy and Disclaimer Notices Sitemap
© Copyright 2025. Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts.
S5