Washington Courts: Press Release Detail

Seattle Prep from King County is 2022 Washington State Mock Trial Champion

In a virtual competition between two King County high schools, Seattle Preparatory School edged out Skyline High School on Sunday, March 13 to become the 2022 Washington State YMCA Mock Trial champion. Seattle Prep is now eligible to compete for the national title in May, which will also be held virtually.

Washington Supreme Court Justice Mary I. Yu presided over the championship trial, held on the Zoom platform and livestreamed by TVW. The recorded championship round can be viewed at https://tvw.org/video/ymca-mock-trial-state-championship-2022031138/?eventID=2022031138.

The championship round followed three days of virtual competition between 24 teams from high schools across the state, with attorneys and judges volunteering their time to score teams and preside over the trials.

The top 12 high school finalists of the competition are as follows:

• 1st: Seattle Preparatory School BLUE
• 2nd: Skyline High School GREEN
• 3rd: Port Townsend High School
• 4th: Seattle Preparatory School WHITE
• 5th: Wenatchee High School
• 6th: Cedar Tree High School
• 7th: King’s High School RED
• 8th: The Oaks Classical Christian Academy
• 9th: Mercer Island High School
• 10th: Nathan Hale High School
• 11th: University Prep BLUE
• 12th: East Lake High School

“I can see why these two teams are in the finals. Each of you were absolutely remarkable,” Justice Yu told team members following the mock trial. “You understand the law, you understand the facts. I like frequent objections and you knew the basis of the objections…I’m really very impressed.”

The competition began Thursday, March 10 with 24 teams from around the state — winners of their district competitions — competing in four rounds via Zoom, arguing the plaintiff and defense sides of a fictitious civil trial involving a lawsuit between a mountain biker and the owner of a commercial recreation area where the biker got hurt.

The YMCA Mock Trial program began in 1987 and is part of the YMCA’s Youth & Government program which helps students experience democracy in action. Mock Trial allows students to participate in true-to-life courtroom drama before real judges and attorneys, gaining an understanding of the law and the role of the judiciary.

PROGRAM CONTACTS: Judge Robert Lewis, Mock Trial Program Chair, Robert.Lewis@clark.wa.gov, 360-397-2226; Amber Wetzel, YMCA Youth and Government Executive Director, awetzel@seattleymca.org, (360) 357-3475.