The Verdict Is In: Notre Dame High School Wins 44th Annual Riverside County Mock Trial

Final showdown featuring Riverside-based schools leads to second title for Notre Dame 

Notre Dame High School's winning Mock Trial team.

RIVERSIDE – Future legal stars from local Riverside-area high schools concluded seven rounds of courtroom drama and competition with Notre Dame High School defeating Martin Luther King High School in the final round of the 44th Annual Riverside County Mock Trial Competition on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at the Riverside Historic Courthouse.

In the final round, Martin Luther King High School filled the role of the prosecution while Notre Dame High School represented the defense. Poly High School and Ramona High School shared third place.

Notre Dame High School will now represent Riverside County at the California Mock Trial Competition on March 20-22 in Oakland. The state winner will advance to the National Mock Trial set for May 7-9 in Des Moines, Iowa.

“Congratulations to all the student competitors who exhibited extraordinary poise and professionalism that powerfully demonstrates how competitions like the Riverside County Mock Trial are preparing them for a future in the legal field, in higher education, and endless opportunities,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez. “I look forward to seeing Riverside County’s top team from Notre Dame High School compete for a state championship.”

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. In the 2025 Riverside County Mock Trial finals, Poly High School defeated Notre Dame High School in a rematch of the 2024 final. 

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.

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.

For more information, visit the Riverside County Mock Trial web page. 

Riverside County Mock Trial historical results: