Final Eight High School Teams Advance to Mock Trial Quarterfinals, Individual Honors and Internships Awarded

RIVERSIDE – After four rounds of competition across Riverside County’s courtrooms, student legal teams from eight local high schools have advanced to the next round of the 44th Annual Riverside County Mock Trial Competition to be held on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 6 p.m. at the Riverside Hall of Justice (4100 Main Street, Riverside). The semi-finals will be held on Tuesday, February 17, and the 2026 champion will be named after the final round on Thursday, February 19. The final round will take place at 6 p.m. at the Riverside Historic Courthouse (4050 Main Street, Riverside).

Round 5 Matchups (Elite Eight)

Additionally, more than a dozen students were honored for top performances with blue ribbons and prestigious internships in local legal organizations after the fourth round of competition on Saturday, February 7.

“Student events like Mock Trial aren’t just about competing for a championship. Each student gains valuable lessons in analytical thinking, persuasive communication, teamwork, and a greater understanding of our legal system,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. “Congratulations to the top eight teams advancing to the final rounds and all the award-winning students.”

Mock Trial involves students arguing cases in front of real judges, while being scored by practicing attorneys. The competition is open to all students in grades 9 through 12 enrolled in public and private high schools in Riverside County. Teams consist of 8-25 students filling the courtroom roles of defense and prosecution attorneys, witnesses, clerks, and more.

2026 Riverside County Mock Trial Competition

BLUE RIBBON AWARD RECIPIENTS

Outstanding Courtroom Artist

1st Place – Joni Huang, Murrieta Valley High School
2nd Place (Tie) – Jasmine Martinez, Hemet High School; Ivy Phan, Chaparral High School
3rd Place – Sofia John, Temecula Valley High School

Outstanding Courtroom Journalist

1st Place – Douglas Cube, Notre Dame High School
2nd Place – Melissa Chai, Chaparral High School
3rd Place – Faith Harper, Hemet High School

Outstanding Bailiff

1st Place – Sophia Downey, Temecula Valley High School
2nd Place – Jonathan Medrano, Notre Dame High School
3rd Place – Diego Coronado, Centennial High School

Outstanding Clerk

1st Place – Xavier Felix, Notre Dame High School
2nd Place – Samantha Stillman, Chaparral High School
3rd Place – Emily Ruvalcaba, Ramona High School

Outstanding Defense Pretrial Motion Attorney

1st Place – Erin Grace Mankin, Notre Dame High School*
2nd Place – Vincent Zepeda, Patriot High School
3rd Place – Patrick Moon, Martin Luther King High School
*Riverside County Courts Award Bar Association Douglas E. Weathers Scholarship

Outstanding Prosecution Pretrial Motion Attorney

1st Place – Adrian Reyes, Notre Dame High School*
2nd Place – Dana Chiek, Martin Luther King High School
3rd Place – Ana Gamino, Indio High School
*Riverside County Courts Award Bar Association Douglas E. Weathers Scholarship

Outstanding Prosecution Witnesses

Witness: Detective Rio Sacks

1st Place – Caroline Corr, Notre Dame High School
2nd Place – Genesis Abrams, Great Oak High School
3rd Place – Journey Brutus, Chaparral High School

Witness: Alden Mitchell

1st Place – Adrian Torres, Temecula Valley High School
2nd Place – Nathaniel Firetag, Riverside Poly High School
3rd Place – Clark Adkins, Indio High School

Witness: Sam Longo

1st Place – Gael Campos, Notre Dame High School
2nd Place – Ella Fortine, Riverside Poly High School
3rd Place – Sydnee Hernandez, Paloma Valley High School

Witness: Imari Rodriguez

1st Place – Stevie Linton, Murrieta Valley High School
2nd Place – Audrinna Patterson, Notre Dame High School
3rd Place – Giovanna Wilkinson, Martin Luther King High School

Outstanding Defense Witnesses

Defendant: Haley Fromholz

1st Place – Daphne Egizi, Notre Dame High School
2nd Place – Augustina Alfaro, Ramona High School
3rd Place – Brandon Fuller, Valley View High School

Witness: Takoda Morrison

1st Place – Elizabeth Kiggins, St. Jeanne de Lestonnac High School
2nd Place – Ally Afsar, Palm Desert High School
3rd Place – Jill Hacker, Ramona High School

Witness: Dr. Ren Dunne

1st Place – Olivia Wade, Temecula Valley High School
2nd Place – Virginia Duncan, Santiago High School
3rd Place – Emrey Wilkinson, Palm Desert High School

Witness: Jean Kronstadt

1st Place – Phillip Murguia, Vista del Lago High School
2nd Place – Nathaniel Firetag, Riverside Poly High School
3rd Place – John Morinaga, St. Jeanne de Lestonnac High School

Outstanding Prosecution Attorneys

Jude Cramer, Notre Dame High School
Celeste De Lucia, Canyon Springs High School
Olivia Wade, Temecula Valley High School**
** Winner of summer internship in District Attorney’s Office and Riverside County Bar Foundation’s Honorable Douglas E. Weathers Scholarship

Outstanding Defense Attorneys

Kaiden Kamphuis, Liberty High School
Thomas Nelson, Palm Desert High School
Crystal Renteria, Valley View High School*
*Riverside County Courts Award Bar Association Douglas E. Weathers Scholarship

Attorneys, judges, and legal professionals from across Riverside County are among the more than 14,000 students who have participated in Mock Trial now in its 44th year of competition. The month-long competition is sponsored by Riverside County Superior Courts, the Riverside County Bar Association, and the Riverside County Office of Education.

The winner of the Riverside County Mock Trial will represent the region at the California Mock Trial Competition March 20-22 in Oakland. The state winner will advance to the National Mock Trial that will be held May 7-9 in Des Moines, Iowa.

This year’s fictional case, People v. Fromholz, centers on the trial of Haley Fromholz, a chef and contestant on the reality TV cooking show Recipe for Success, who is charged with murdering celebrity judge Morgan Sears using poisonous “heartstopper” mushrooms during the filming of the semi-final challenge of the show. Students on the prosecution and defense teams will debate conflicting claims of premeditation, unreasonable search and seizure, forensic evidence, and more, throughout the pre-trial hearings and trial.

In the 2025 Riverside County Mock Trial finals, Poly High School defeated Notre Dame High School in a rematch of the 2024 final. Poly emerged victorious to secure the championship for the 21st time in school history. Third place was shared by Temecula Valley High School and Murrieta Valley High School.

For sponsorship inquiries for this event or any additional Riverside County student events, please visit the 2026 Student Academic Events Sponsorship page. For additional information regarding the 2025-2026 competition, please contact Yadira Chavelas, Events Administrator, at ychavelas@rcoe.us or (951) 826-6570.

For a complete listing of the schedules and locations for all rounds of the competition, visit the Mock Trial web page.