2020 Ventura County Mock Trial Begins Monday
Semi-Finals and Finals Open to Public and Media

More than two dozen local high schools will participate in the 2020 Ventura County Mock Trial competition, which begins Monday in Ventura. Courtroom drama comes to life as students take on the roles of participants in a criminal trial, including attorneys, witnesses, bailiffs and journalists. The students will present their cases in real courtrooms before actual local judges who volunteer for the competition. Local attorneys serve as coaches.

WHAT: 2020 Ventura County Mock Trial

WHEN: The competition runs Monday, February 24 to Thursday, February 27. The Wednesday semi-finals and Thursday finals are open to the public and the media. Competition begins each evening at 5:00 pm and is expected to conclude by 11:00 pm.

• Monday, February 24 – Rounds 1 and 2
• Tuesday, February 25 – Rounds 3 and 4
• Wednesday, February 26 – Semi-finals – OPEN TO PUBLIC AND MEDIA
• Thursday, February 27 – Finals – OPEN TO PUBLIC AND MEDIA

WHERE: Ventura County Superior Court - 800 South Victoria Avenue, Ventura, California 93009

CHECK IN: Members of the media are asked to check in at the registration desk upon arrival

Awards Ceremony

The Mock Trial awards ceremony will be held on Monday, March 2 at 6:00 pm at the Buena High School Auditorium at 5670 Telegraph Rd, Ventura, CA 93003. The public is invited to attend and media coverage is welcomed.

About the 2020 Ventura County Mock Trial

The Mock Trial competition is coordinated annually by the Ventura County Office of Education. This year’s fictitious case is People v. Matsumoto: A Murder Trial.

High schools participating this year are: Adolfo Camarillo High School, Agoura High School, Buena High School, Calabasas High School, Channel Islands High School, Fillmore High School, Grace Brethren Jr/Sr High School, La Reina High School, Monte Vista Independent Learning Academy, Newbury Park High School, Nordhoff High School, Oak Park High School, Oaks Christian School, Oxnard High School, Pacifica High School, Rio Mesa High School, Royal High School, Saint Bonaventure High School, Santa Paula High School, Santa Susana High School, Simi Valley High School, St. Augustine Academy, Thousand Oaks High School, Trinity Pacific Christian School, Ventura High School, and Westlake High School.

The winner of the county competition will go on to the state mock trial contest March 20-22 in Los Angeles. Ventura County has taken first place at the state level in 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

This year’s Ventura County Mock Trial logo artwork was created by June Liu from La Reina High School in Thousand Oaks.

Additional information about the 2020 Ventura County Mock Trial is available at vcoe.org/mocktrial.

# # #

About the Ventura County Office of Education

The Ventura County Office of Education provides a broad array of fiscal, training and technology support services to local school districts, helping to maintain and improve lifelong educational opportunities for children, educators and community members. VCOE also operates schools that serve students with severe disabilities and behavioral issues, provides career education courses, and coordinates countywide academic competitions including Mock Trial and the Ventura County Science Fair. Learn more at: www.vcoe.org.