Ohio High School Mock Trial

About High School Mock Trial

High School Mock Trial offers an innovative approach to learning the law and how our legal system functions. Guided by teachers and volunteer legal advisors, students participate in an original, unscripted simulated trial where they take on the roles of attorneys, witnesses, and bailiffs/timekeepers. OCLRE and a committee of volunteers create an original, unscripted case every year that is based on a constitutional issue that serves as the basis for the simulated trial.

Program Event/Student Assessment

Participants of OCLRE’s High School Mock Trial competition are evaluated based on their performance during simulated trials. Each Mock Trial team will present their case as both the prosecution and defense. Teams are randomly paired against another team, switching sides and opponents in each trial. A panel of 2-3 volunteers will serve as judges during trial and each will evaluate student performance. 

High School Mock Trial teams may have between 5-12 students, with some exceptions for schools fielding more than one team.

Competition Details

• District Competition (January)

  • Every Mock Trial team registered for the statewide competition will participate at the District Competition which will take place at various county sites.

• Regional Competition (February)

  • Teams that advance out of the District Competition will go on to compete in the Regional Competition which will take place in various county sites.

• State Competition (March)
  • Teams that advance out of the District Competition will go on to compete in the State Competition which is hosted in Columbus over the course of three days (Thursday-Saturday).

For questions, contact Jenna Lewis at jlewis@oclre.org or call 614-485-3515.

Mock Trial Objectives

• Improve critical thinking, reading, writing, public speaking and listening skills
• De­velop un­der­stand­ing and ap­pre­ci­a­tion for the law, court pro­ce­dures, and the ju­di­cial sys­tem
• Un­der­stand con­sti­tu­tional rights and re­spon­si­bil­i­ties
• Rec­og­nize and re­ward stu­dents’ aca­d­e­mic and in­tel­lec­tual achieve­ments

Costs

Sample Invoice

For questions, contact Jenna Lewis at jlewis@oclre.org or 614-485-3515.

Case File

2025 Ohio Mock Trial Case Capsule

OCLRE is excited to release the 2025 Ohio Mock Trial Case, Denver Saidi v. Wyatt Latu! Denver Saidi, principal of Trillium High School and candidate for city council, becomes concerned when a deepfake video featuring their speech at the Snow Ball Dance begins circulating online and damages their campaign. Saidi has filed a lawsuit for defamation against Trillium student Wyatt Latu, who used a generative AI app to create the video, and simultaneously seeks a preliminary injunction from the court to have the offending video taken down. Students in this year’s case will participate in the hearing in which the court is considering that injunction.

The 2024-25 Mock Trial Case File can be ordered below. Please note that orders may only be submitted by designated school personnel or a legal advisor(s). Student orders are NOT permitted and will not be fulfilled.

2024-25 Case File

Errata Updates

The errata sheet serves to clarify or correct errors in the Mock Trial case and/or rules & does not address team strategy, coaching, or judging protocol. If a question received does not meet the criteria for errata (e.g. pertains to an evidence question), an email response will be sent to the individual advisor.

Errata Update - 10/15/24

Errata Update - 10/29/24

Errata Update - 11/12/24

Click Here to Submit Errata

Please refer to the first page of the case file for a schedule of errata submission deadlines and updates.

Note: All errata postings are as needed. If we do not receive any errata submissions the week prior, there will be no errata update. Please contact Jenna Lewis (jlewis@oclre.org) with any questions.

2025 Ohio Mock Trial Case Topic Presentation

As part of the 2024 Mock Trial Conference, case committee co-chair Ben Sandlin covered the legal issues presented in the case file.

Case Materials Cost

Hard copy student manuals may only be purchased in addition to the digital case file. All schools participating in the Mock Trial Competition must purchase a digital case file.

Previous Cases 

Looking for a prior year's case file? To view a complete list of past case summaries, click HERE. To order a prior year's case, please complete the order form HERE.

2023-24 – State v Espinosa: Ash Espinosa and Harley Diallo are cousins and were co-owners of a junkyard called Diallo’s Scrap & Sale. In November of 2020, the two became involved in a conspiracy to embezzle and launder money. Over the course of the next year, $80,000 was embezzled from Trillium High School and laundered through the junkyard, in addition to another $320,000 from other illicit sources. Eventually, the cousins were caught and arrested for their financial crimes, with both Espinosa and Diallo pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. The court must now decide on a loss amount reasonably attributed to each defendant, and as a result, whether the seizure of additional assets would constitute an excessive fine under the Eighth Amendment. The State of Buckeye has already seized assets from Ash Espinosa and Harley Diallo, but there is a remaining loss of $18,500 that must be recovered. 2023-24 Case Capsule Video

2022-23 – In Re S. Khan: Stevie Khan was a student at Trillium High School. When a prank ruined the school’s annual alumni breakfast during their junior year, Stevie became a suspect. During the investigation into the prank, Stevie was brought into the Dean of Students’ office where Stevie was asked about their involvement in the prank. At some point during the questioning, the school resource officer (SRO) Ari Nowak became involved. Stevie’s statements during the questioning led to a search warrant and Stevie’s ultimate arrest. Now, Stevie Khan is moving the court to suppress the incriminating statements that led to the search warrant, claiming a violation of their constitutional rights. Stevie claims that their questioning was a custodial interrogation, and they should have been read their Mirandarights. 2022-23 Case Capsule Video

2021-22 – State of Buckeye ex rel. Hollis Fitzpatrick v. Fran DeBier, et al.: Hollis Fitzpatrick was the owner of a family restaurant, Fitzpatrick’s, in downtown Harmony. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck the state of Buckeye in 2020, Fitzpatrick’s struggled financially and ultimately shut down. Hollis blames the government restrictions for the closure of their restaurant and is taking legal action to be compensated for their loss. This case asks students to consider whether the pandemic restrictions were so severe that they constituted a taking of Hollis Fitzpatrick’s property that requires just compensation. 2021-22 Case Capsule Video

For more information on how to become involved with the Ohio High School Mock Trial pro­gram, please con­tact Jenna Lewis at jlewis@oclre.org or call 614-485-3515.

High School Mock Trial Statewide Competition

2025 Mock Trial Competition Information

Competition Forms:

• Team Registration: Click HERE
  
  • Deadline: December 4, 2024

  • Schools may register a maximum of three (3) teams. Please refer to Mock Trial rules for further stipulations.

• Roster Submission/Management: Click HERE
  

  • Deadline: January 10, 2025

• Behavior Standards: Click HERE
  
  • Deadline: January 10, 2025

• Team Withdrawal: Click HERE
  • Deadline: December 4, 2024

  • Teams dropped by the end of day on December 4, 2024 will receive a refund, minus a $40 processing fee. NO refunds will be issued after this date. If you withdraw a team after December 4, 2024, you are still obligated to pay for that team.

• Scrimmage Sign-Up: Click HERE

Competition Dates:

• District Competition - January 17, 2025
• Regional Competition - February 7, 2025
• State Competition - March 6-8, 2025

2024-25 Competition Rules

Each year, the OCLRE Competition Committee reviews the rules and feedback from teams to make changes and clarifications to the competition format and rules. These rules are announced at the annual Mock Trial Conference, and become part of the case file. See below for updates regarding the current Ohio Mock Trial season.

Mock Trial Summary of Rule Changes PDF

Team Registration Cost

*Decisions about the number of teams permitted are made in consultation with our site hosts to ensure that we can accommodate as many teams as possible. We will announce capacity limits to all teachers at the 2024 Mock Trial Conference on September 24 and on this website afterward.

FAQ

How do I get started?

If you or your school are new to Ohio High School Mock Trial, welcome!

First, you need enough students to start a team. High School Mock Trial teams must have a minimum of 5 students and may have a maximum of 12 students.

Next, you need the case file. At the beginning of competition season, the case order form is available on the “Case File” tab of our website. The case is released annually at the Mock Trial Conference. Conference attendees are the first to receive their copy of the case and attend mock trial introductory and skill-based sessions.

Below is a quick guide explaining how to get started with Ohio Mock Trial

"Road Map to Mock Trial"

Can I still get the case if I cannot attend the Mock Trial Conference? 

Yes! Anyone can order the case materials by completing the form on the “Case File” tab of our website. The case will be made available digitally as a PDF with the option to order hard copy manuals for a separate fee. Conference attendees will receive the case one week earlier than non-attendees.

I have my case materials. Am I ready to compete? 

Not quite yet! To participate in the competition, you must register your team(s). The registration form is available on the “Statewide Competition” tab of our website in mid-fall. Team registration is separate from the case materials and is an additional fee.

What are the costs associated with participating in High School Mock Trial?

I don’t have a legal advisor. Do I need one? 

OCLRE does not require that mock trial teams have a legal advisor. However, most teachers appreciate assistance from volunteer attorneys to help students understand case law, courtroom procedure, and etiquette.

Teachers often have the most success in reaching out to attorneys in their community. You may ask students if they have family/friends who are attorneys, or you can reach out to other community members. Local bar associations are another resource for locating attorneys who may be willing to volunteer. You can see a list of local bar associations here: https://www.ohiobar.org/public-resources/lawyer-referral-services/  

When and where do my students compete?  

All teams registered for the competition will compete in the District Competition in January. Teams that advance out of the District Competition will go on to compete in the Regional Competition in February. Teams that advance out of the Regional Competition will move on to the State Competition in March. For the District and Regional competitions, teams will be assigned to compete in the closest competition site with space available. Teams will be notified of their site placement two weeks before the respective competition. The State Competition will take place in downtown Columbus, OH.

For a list of exact competition dates and eventual site assignments, please visit the “Statewide Competition” tab of the website.

My school doesn’t have a mock trial team, but I want to get involved. What can I do? 

Are you a high school student? To start a program at your school, you will need a teacher or staff member to serve as the Mock Trial advisor. You will also need a minimum of five students (including yourself) who are willing to be on the Mock Trial team. If you are able to find a teacher or staff member willing to be the team advisor, refer them to this list or to OCLRE directly.  

If you cannot find a team advisor or enough interested students at your school, you may be able to join a nearby Mock Trial team. Please reach out to Jenna Lewis (jlewis@oclre.org) for more information.