PLEASANT HILL, Calif. — For the eighth year in a row, California High School has claimed the Contra Costa County Mock Trials championship, the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) announced during an awards ceremony on Thursday evening.
Under the guidance of Coach Brian Barr, California High School won the final trial against Miramonte High held on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at the A.F. Bray Courthouse in Martinez. With this win, California High will represent Contra Costa County at the California Mock Trial Finals in March. Superior Court Judge Jennifer Lee presided over the final trial.
Acalanes High School secured third place after defeating San Ramon Valley High School in the consolation trial.
“This competition involves coordinating more than 40 trials in real courtrooms with practicing judges and attorneys; the intensity of the faceoffs reflects the seriousness with which participants and coaches approach the Mock Trial program,” Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey said. “This program not only supports, educates, and empowers students, but also exposes them to a variety of careers in the legal field. We sincerely appreciate the ongoing support from the Superior Court, the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department, and the many judges, coaches, and legal professionals who generously volunteer their time.”
The 44th annual Mock Trial competition, hosted by CCCOE, featured 48 trials conducted in-person at the A.F. Bray Courthouse. Nineteen schools from across Contra Costa County participated, with over 140 judges, local attorneys, and volunteers contributing as trial presiders, scorers, or courtroom coordinators.
During the awards ceremony, team and individual winners were announced. Hannah Geraghty from Acalanes High School won the courtroom journalism contest, with Honorable Mentions going to Keerthi Eraniyan and Sophia Liu of California High School. Geraghty is now eligible to compete in the State’s Mock Trial journalism competition.
Sadie Poole from Acalanes High School won the courtroom artist competition, with Gina Germano of California High School receiving an Honorable Mention. Poole will advance to the state level as a courtroom artist. The first-place article and winning drawing can be viewed on the Mock Trial page of the CCCOE website.
In the quarterfinals, San Ramon Valley defeated Alhambra, Miramonte beat Las Lomas, California won over Monte Vista, and Acalanes eliminated Campolindo. In the semifinals, Miramonte defeated San Ramon Valley, and California beat Acalanes. California then bested Miramonte in the finals.
Participating high schools included: Acalanes (Lafayette), Alhambra (Martinez), Athenian (Danville), California (San Ramon), Campolindo (Moraga), Carondelet (Concord), Clayton Valley (Concord), College Park (Pleasant Hill), De Anza (Richmond), Deer Valley (Antioch), Dougherty Valley (San Ramon), El Cerrito (El Cerrito), Hercules (Hercules), Heritage (Brentwood), Las Lomas (Walnut Creek), Miramonte (Orinda), Monte Vista (Danville), Richmond (Richmond), and San Ramon Valley (San Ramon).
Each Mock Trial team collaborates with teachers and/or attorney coaches to prepare their case from both prosecution and defense perspectives. Students take on roles such as trial attorneys, pretrial motion attorneys, witnesses, clerks, and bailiffs. Through these role-playing exercises, students gain a deeper understanding of legal content and processes. They also enhance their public speaking, analytical, and teamwork skills. This year’s case, People vs. Gold, involves Logan Gold, the assistant campaign manager for their spouse, Harper Dorais, a city council candidate in Emerald Bend, California. Gold, the town’s sole hotel owner, is charged with kidnapping Taylor Alexander, a rival candidate.
The Mock Trial program is supported by Teach Democracy, which hosts the California state competition. To read the first-place article and view the winning drawing, visit the Mock Trial page on the CCCOE website.
TEAM FINISHES
- 1st – California High School (San Ramon Valley Unified School District)
- 2nd – Miramonte High School (Acalanes Union High School District)
- 3rd – Acalanes High School (Acalanes Union High School District)
- 4th – San Ramon Valley High School (San Ramon Valley Unified School District)
OUTSTANDING COURTROOM ARTIST
- 1st – Sadie Poole, Acalanes High School
OUSTANDING COURTROOM JOURNALIST
- 1st – Hannah Geraghty, Acalanes High School
Previous
- Jan 2025 – 19 High Schools Set to Faceoff in Contra Costa Mock Trial Program
- Feb 2024 – California HSl Wins 7th Consecutive Contra Costa County Mock Trial Title
