Poisonous Mushrooms, Reality TV, and the Death of a Celebrity Chef are the Ingredients for 44th Annual Riverside County Mock Trial Student Competition
Opening rounds in Indio, Murrieta, and Riverside get underway on January 22, with students from 26 high schools participating in the 2026 Riverside County Mock Trial competition
RIVERSIDE – Identifying the responsible party for the death of a celebrity cooking show judge by “heartstopper” mushrooms, is the basis for the fictional People v. Fromholz trial where students from 26 high schools will compete throughout January and February at the 44th Annual Riverside County Mock Trial organized by the Riverside County Office of Education.
“Mock Trial is a phenomenal opportunity for students to explore the legal profession, exercise critical thinking, collaborate as a team, and learn about the justice system,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. “Many current professionals—from attorneys and clerks to judges and criminal justice advocates—have credited their interest in this critical field to their experiences with Mock Trial, and we look forward to seeing the next generation of justice system leaders competing in our county courtrooms once again this year.”
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.
Attorneys, judges, and legal professionals from across Riverside County are among the more than 15,000 students who have participated in Mock Trial since 1983. The month-long competition is sponsored by Riverside County Superior Courts, the Riverside County Bar Association, and the Riverside County Office of Education.
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.
The opening rounds of competition will start at 6 p.m. on Thursday, January 22, in three locations across Riverside County (first team listed is prosecution, second team is defense):
Desert – Larson Justice Center, 46-200 Oasis Street, Indio
- Palo Verde HS vs. Palm Desert HS
- La Quinta HS vs. Indio HS
Riverside – Robert Presley Hall of Justice, 4100 Main Street, Riverside
- John W. North HS vs. Notre Dame HS
- Centennial HS vs. Poly HS
- Vista del Lago HS vs. Ramona HS
- Valley View HS vs. Santiago HS
- Norco HS vs. Canyon Springs HS
- Patriot HS vs. Martin Luther King HS
Southwest – Southwest Justice Center, 30755-D Auld Road, Murrieta
- Paloma Valley vs. Hemet HS
- Chaparral HS vs. Liberty HS
- Murrieta Valley HS vs. Heritage HS
- Great Oak HS vs. Temecula Valley HS
- San Jacinto HS vs. St. Jeanne de Lestonnac School
After multiple rounds of competition in Riverside, the awards ceremony will take place at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 7, at the Riverside County Office of Education Conference Center (4280 Brockton Avenue, Riverside).
The final competition will be held on Thursday, February 19, at 6 p.m. at the Riverside Historic Courthouse (4050 Main Street, Riverside).
For a complete listing of the schedules and locations for all rounds of the competition, visit www.rcoe.us/student-events/mock-trial.
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.
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.
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.
Riverside County Mock Trial Historical Results:
- 2025 – Poly High School
- 2024 – Poly High School
- 2023 – Murrieta Valley High School
- 2022 – Notre Dame High School
- 2021 – Martin Luther King High School
- 2020 – Poly High School
- 2019 – Poly High School
- 2018 – Martin Luther King High School
- 2017 – Poly High School
- 2016 – Poly High School
- 2015 – Hemet High School
- 2014 – Poly High School
- 2013 – Poly High School
- 2012 – Poly High School
- 2011 – Poly High School
- 2010 – Woodcrest Christian High School
- 2009 – Poly High School
- 2008 – Temecula Valley High School
- 2007 – Martin Luther King High School
- 2006 – Woodcrest Christian High School
- 2005 – Poly High School
- 2004 – Poly High School
- 2003 – Poly High School
- 2002 – Poly High School
- 2001 – Arlington High School
- 2000 – John W. North High School
- 1999 – Woodcrest Christian High School
- 1998 – Temecula Valley High School
- 1997 – Corona High School
- 1996 – Poly High School
- 1995 – Norte Vista High School
- 1994 – Arlington High School**
- 1993 – Arlington High School
- 1992 – Poly High School
- 1991 – Poly High School
- 1990 – Poly High School
- 1989 – John W. North High School
- 1988 – Poly High School
- 1987 – Poly High School
- 1986 – John W. North High School
- 1985 – Ramona High School
- 1984 – Ramona High School
- 1983 – Perris High School
** Mock Trial National Champion