The Idaho Law Foundation’s Law Related Education Program hosted its annual High School Mock Trial State Championship from Thursday to Saturday, March 18 to 20. For 2021, the three-day tournament was held virtually. This year students explored a criminal mock trial case that centered on a charge of domestic terrorism involving the destruction of a dam in the fictional state of Monida.

All teams in the state competition participated in four rounds of competition in virtual Zoom Courtrooms on Thursday and Friday with the top two teams facing off for the state championship on Saturday morning.

The 2021 state competition involved 150 high school students on 15 teams. 125 teachers, judges, attorneys, and other community leaders donated their time to serve as coaches, advisors, judges, and competition staff.

The following teams placed in the top five for Idaho’s state tournament:

• 2021 State Champion: The Ambrose School, Meridian
• State Runner Up: The Logos School, Moscow
• Third Place: Mountain Home High School
• Fourth Place: The Ambrose School, Meridian
• Fifth Place: Victory Charter School, Nampa

Mock trial team members who played roles as attorneys and witnesses also had the opportunity to be recognized for individual awards. For each trial through four rounds of competition, each judge had the opportunity to select the students they believed gave the best performances for the trial. The top witnesses and attorneys for the 2021 competition include:

Top Witnesses:

• Audrey Hansell (The Ambrose School)
• Jordynn Hunt (Centennial High School)
• Maria Jimenez (Thunder Ridge High School)
• Kalkidan Meyer (The Logos School)
• Reagan Moore (Sage International School)
• Ben Perrigo (The Ambrose School)
• Josiah Rauch (The Logos School)
• Allie Reid (Mountain Home High School)
• Marilla Story (The Logos School)
• Sophia Thompson (Victory Charter School)
• Paige Williams (Centennial High School)

Top Attorneys:

• Zach Atwood (The Logos School)
• Mya Brushey (The Ambrose School)
• Nina Linder (Lewiston High School)
• Nadjeda Luker (Centennial High School)
• Hunter Marang (Victory Charter School)
• Daly Marvel (Sage International School)
• Ty Olney (Thunder Ridge High School)
• Oam Patel (Mountain Home High School)
• Kyleigh Rohrs (Mountain Home High School)
• Samantha Snow (Sage International School)
• Kristen Stanciu (The Ambrose School)
• Ronen Wyrick (The Logos School)

In addition to the mock trial competition, Idaho’s mock trial program hosts a Courtroom Artist Contest as part of the program. Artists observed trials and submitted sketches that depict courtroom scenes. The top three entries for 2021 were:

• First Place: Lily Giordano, Centennial High School
• Second Place: Nicholas Remalce, Lewiston High School
• Third Place: Josephine Wyrick, The Logos School

The Ambrose School will represent Idaho at the National High School Mock Trial Championship in May and Lily Giordano will represent Idaho in the National Courtroom Artist Contest.

Plans will soon begin for the 2022 mock trial season. For more information about how to get involved with the mock trial program, visit idahomocktrial.org or contact Carey Shoufler, Idaho Law Foundation Law Related Education Director, at cshoufler@isb.idaho.gov.

About the Idaho High School Mock Trial Program

Idaho Mock Trial is a statewide hands-on civic education activity for high school students. Working with attorney and teacher coaches, participants prepare a hypothetical legal case and present it in a simulated courtroom competition. In real and virtual courtrooms, before real judges and attorneys, teams try cases they have been preparing since the fall. From opening statements, through direct and cross-examination of witnesses, to closing arguments, each team has its own attorneys and witnesses and must be ready to present either side of the case before juries who score their performances.

About the Idaho Law Foundation & Law Related Education

The Idaho Law Foundation is the charitable arm of the Idaho State Bar. As a program of the Foundation, Law Related Education is a statewide civic education program that works to enhance public understanding of the legal system and bring together attorneys and teachers to help students of all ages understand the role of law in a democratic society. For more information, visit idaholawfoundation.org.

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