Feb. 16, 2016 – Students from 16 Wisconsin high schools advance to the High School Mock Trial semifinals after competing in regional events across the state.
A total of 109 teams competed Feb. 13 in regional trials of the State Bar of Wisconsin’s 33rd Annual High School Mock Trial. The teams traveled to regional trials in 12 courthouses around the state to participate in the State Bar program that started in 1983 and continues strong today.
The winning teams will compete in the semifinals, beginning with four trials March 12 at the Dane County Courthouse in Madison. The top two teams will go on to compete in a final round on March 13 in the Wisconsin Supreme Court courtroom.
The state finalist team will represent the state at the National Mock Trial Championship in Boise, Idaho.
Katie Stenz is public relations coordinator with the State Bar of Wisconsin. She can be reached by email or by phone at (608) 250-6025.
The mock trial program provides high school students with an opportunity to act as attorneys and witnesses in a court case that has been developed by State Bar members. This year’s students – in teams of six to 12 – unravel a civil case.
Each team appeared before a panel of volunteer lawyer judges on a case, drafted by members of the State Bar Mock Trial Committee, that prompted the students to debate a police officer’s use of excessive force on a young, homeless person.
The Mock Trial program is funded by a generous grant from the Wisconsin Law Foundation, the charitable arm of the State Bar of Wisconsin, supporting law-related education and public service programs statewide.
2016 Mock Trial Regional Winners
All teams finishing first in each region will compete in the semifinals, along with four wildcard teams. Wildcard teams are selected randomly from all second place winners unless that team is from the same school as the first place team. In that circumstance the wildcard spot goes to the next highest ranking team.
The teams advancing to the semifinals are:
Appleton Region
First place: Oshkosh West High School (Team 1)
Wildcard: Appleton West High School (Team 1)
Eau Claire Region
First place: Superior High School (Team 1)
Green Bay Region
First place: Bay Port High School
Janesville Region
First place: Oregon High School (Team 1)
Juneau Region
First place: Lodi High School (Team 1)
Wildcard: Dodgeland High School
La Crosse Region
First place: La Crosse Logan Senior High School
Madison Region
First place: Middleton High School (Team 1)
Wildcard: Madison West High School
Milwaukee Region
First place: Shorewood High School (Team 1)
Racine Region
First place: Franklin High School
Waukesha Region
First place: Kettle Moraine (Team 1)
Wausau Region
First place: Rhinelander High School (Team 1)
Wildcard: Wausau West High School
Wisconsin Rapids Region
First place: Marshfield High School (Team 1)
