PLEASANT HILL, Calif. — California High School continued its Mock Trial legacy, capturing its ninth-consecutive Contra Costa County Mock Trial championship, the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) announced during an awards ceremony Thursday evening.
Coached by Brian Barr, California High School edged Miramonte High School in the championship trial, held on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, at the A.F. Bray Courthouse in Martinez. Retired Superior Court Judge Leslie Landau presided over the final round. With the victory, California High School represents Contra Costa County at the California Mock Trial Finals in March.
Deer Valley High School earned third place after defeating Acalanes High School in the consolation trial.
“This year, milestones were reached in many ways – whether a team won its first trial, a witness delivered an unforgettable performance, or a student overcame stage fright,” said Contra Costa County Superintendent Lynn Mackey. “Every victory looks different, but each one matters. These experiences help shape our youth for the future, and they would not be possible without the continued support of the Superior Court, the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department, and the many judges, coaches, and legal professionals who volunteer their time to the Mock Trial program.”
Hosted by CCCOE, the 45th-annual Mock Trial competition featured 48 in person trials held at the A.F. Bray Courthouse. Twenty high schools from across Contra Costa County participated, supported by more than 150 judges, attorneys, and volunteers who served as trial presiders, scorers, and courtroom coordinators.
During the awards ceremony, team and individual honors were announced. Keerthi Eraniyan of California High School earned first place in the courtroom journalism contest, with Eliza Khan of Acalanes High School taking second place. Both students are eligible to advance to the state Mock Trial journalism competition.
In the courtroom artist competition, Kim Le of Alhambra High School won first place, followed by Karla Navarro of Las Lomas High School in second place. Both students will advance to the state level. The winning article and drawing are available on the Mock Trial page of the CCCOE website.
In the quarterfinal competition, Acalanes High School defeated Alhambra High School, California High School defeated Monte Vista High School, Deer Valley High School defeated Campolindo High School, and Miramonte High School defeated Heritage High School. California High School advanced to the final after defeating Deer Valley in the semifinals, while Miramonte defeated Acalanes. California then captured the title after a nailbiter matchup against Miramonte in the final.
Participating Contra Costa County high schools included:
- Acalanes High School (Lafayette),
- Alhambra High School (Martinez),
- The Athenian School (Danville),
- California High School (San Ramon),
- Campolindo High School (Moraga),
- Carondelet High School (Concord),
- Clayton Valley High School (Concord),
- College Park High School (Pleasant Hill),
- De Anza High School (Richmond),
- Deer Valley High School (Antioch),
- Dougherty Valley High School (San Ramon),
- El Cerrito High School (El Cerrito),
- Hercules High School (Hercules),
- Heritage High School (Brentwood),
- Las Lomas High School (Walnut Creek),
- Making Waves Academy (Richmond),
- Miramonte High School (Orinda),
- Monte Vista High School (Danville),
- Richmond High School (Richmond),
- San Ramon Valley High School (San Ramon).
Each Mock Trial team worked closely with teachers and attorney coaches to prepare for both prosecution and defense cases. Students assumed courtroom roles as attorneys, witnesses, clerks, bailiffs, and pretrial motion attorneys, gaining hands-on experience with legal procedures while developing public speaking, critical thinking, and teamwork skills.
This year’s case, People v. Fromholz, centered on Haley Fromholz, a chef and contestant on the reality television show Recipe for Success, who is charged with murdering celebrity judge Morgan Sears using poisonous “heartstopper” mushrooms during the show’s semifinal challenge. Charges included first degree murder, with involuntary manslaughter as a lesser included offense.
The Mock Trial program is supported by Teach Democracy, which hosts the California state competition.
TEAM FINISHES
- 1st – California High School (San Ramon Valley Unified School District)
- 2nd – Miramonte High School (Acalanes Union High School District)
- 3rd – Deer Valley High School (Antioch Unified School District)
- 4th – Acalanes High School (Acalanes Union High School District)
OUTSTANDING COURTROOM ARTIST
- 1st – Kim Le, Alhambra High School
OUTSTANDING COURTROOM JOURNALIST
- 1st – Keerthi Eraniyan, California High School
Previous
- Jan 2026 – 20 High Schools Across Contra Costa County Compete in 45th Year of Mock Trial Program
- Feb 2025 – California High School Wins 8th Straight Contra Costa County Mock Trial Title
