News and Publications / News / News Releases / 2023 / March / 2023 PBA Statewide Mock Trial Competition Draws 245 Teams from 208 High Schools

2023 PBA Statewide Mock Trial Competition Draws 245 Teams from 208 High Schools

HARRISBURG, Pa. (March 2, 2023) — This month, 245 teams from 208 high schools across Pennsylvania will be competing in-person in district and regional levels of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Statewide High School Mock Trial Competition sponsored by the association’s Young Lawyers Division.

“For students across Pennsylvania, the mock trial competition is more than an academic exercise,” said PBA Young Lawyers Division Chair Patrice Turenne. “Participating students gain a working knowledge of our justice system, plus they learn successful dispute resolution techniques, valuable presentation skills and critical-thinking skills that can be applied in college and many careers. The PBA extends thanks to the countless teachers and lawyers who volunteered to provide the students with the skills they need to compete in this exciting event.”

Now in its 40th year, Pennsylvania’s mock trial program is one of the largest in the nation.

During the competition, eight-member student teams are given the opportunity to argue both sides of the case before a judge. The students, who play the roles of lawyers, witnesses, plaintiffs and defendants, are assisted by teacher coaches and lawyer advisors in preparing for competition. Lawyers and community leaders serve as jurors and sometimes judges for the mock trials. The juries determine the winners in each trial based on the teams’ abilities to prepare their cases, present arguments and follow court rules.

The district and regional levels of the competition will run through March. At the conclusion of the local competitions, 14 high school mock trial teams will advance to the PBA Statewide Mock Trial Championships, March 24 and 25. 

The winning team of the state championship will represent Pennsylvania in the national mock trial finals to be held in-person May 18-20 in Little Rock, Arkansas.

This year’s case is a trial to determine whether a man who participated in an obstacle race and disappeared in the muddy water after “walking the plank” in an abandoned ship obstacle assumed his own risk, or if the event organizers were at fault for negligence.

The case was adapted by Jonathan A. Grode, Paul W. Kaufman and Jonathan D. Koltash from materials originally written by the Iowa State Bar Association Center for Law & Civic Education.

For more information about the 2023 PBA Statewide Mock Trial Championships and to read this year’s case, visit https://www.pabar.org/site/For-the-Public/Mock-Trial-Competition. Interested volunteers should contact the PBA’s Maria Engles at [email protected] or 800-932-0311, extension 2223.

Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association strives to promote justice, professional excellence and respect for the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access of legal services; and serve the lawyer members of the state’s largest organized bar association.

Teams participating in the 2023 Statewide Mock Trial Competition are from the following schools:

REGION 1

Allegheny County

  1. Allderdice High School (two teams)
  2. Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh
  3. Avonworth High School
  4. Chartiers Valley High School (three teams)
  5. Eden Christian Academy
  6. Fox Chapel Area High School (two teams)
  7. Gateway High School
  8. Hillel Academy
  9. Seton-LaSalle High School
  10. Montour High School
  11. Moon Area High School
  12. Mount Lebanon High School (two teams)
  13. North Allegheny Senior High School (two teams)
  14. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School
  15. Pine-Richland High School
  16. Pittsburgh CAPA
  17. Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy
  18. Quaker Valley High School
  19. Riverview /Sr. High School
  20. Sewickley Academy
  21. Shady Side Academy
  22. South Fayette High School
  23. South Park High School
  24. Springdale Jr./Sr. High School
  25. The Neighborhood Academy (two teams)
  26. Thomas Jefferson High School (two teams)
  27. Upper St. Clair High School
  28. West Mifflin High School
  29. Winchester Thurston School
  30. Woodland Hills High School

REGION 2

Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Lawrence counties

  1. Ambridge Area High School
  2. Beaver Area High School
  3. Blackhawk High School
  4. Butler Area High School
  5. Central Valley High School
  6. Freeport High School
  7. Hopewell High School
  8. Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School
  9. Moniteau Jr./Sr. High School
  10. Neshannock High School (two teams)
  11. New Brighton Area Senior High School
  12. New Castle Area High School
  13. North Catholic High School
  14. Riverside/Lincoln High School
  15. Seneca Valley Senior High School
  16. Wilmington Area High School

Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, Warren counties

  1. Cranberry Area Jr./Sr. High School
  2. Erie High School
  3. Grove City High School
  4. Lakeview High School
  5. Meadville Area Senior High School
  6. Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy
  7. Northwestern High School

REGION 3

Indiana, Somerset, Westmoreland counties

  1. Derry Area High School
  2. Franklin Regional High School
  3. Greensburg Central Catholic High School
  4. Greensburg Salem High School
  5. Kiski Area High School
  6. Penn-Trafford High School

Greene, Fayette, Washington counties

  1. Canon-McMillan High School
  2. Frazier High School
  3. Peters Township High School (two teams)
  4. Ringgold High School (two teams)

Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon, Mifflin counties

  1. Altoona Area High School (two teams)
  2. Bellwood-Antis High School
  3. Central Cambria High School
  4. Central High School
  5. Forest Hills High School
  6. Richland Senior High School
  7. Tyrone Area High School

REGION 4

Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Jefferson counties

  1. Bellefonte Area High School
  2. Brockway Area /Sr. High School
  3. Dubois Area High School
  4. DuBois Central Catholic High School
  5. Grace Preparatory High School
  6. Punxsutawney Area High School
  7. Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy
  8. State College Area High School

Cameron, Elk, McKean, Potter counties

  1. Brockway Area /Sr. High School
  2. Coudersport Jr./Sr. High School
  3. Montoursville High School
  4. Oswayo Valley High School
  5. Otto Eldred High School
  6. Port Allegany High School
  7. Ridgway Area High School
  8. Saint Mary's Area High School
  9. Smethport High School

REGION 5

Berks, Lehigh, Northampton counties

  1. Allentown Central Catholic High School
  2. Antietam Middle-Senior High School
  3. Bethlehem Catholic High School
  4. Easton Area High School
  5. Emmaus High School
  6. Exeter Senior High School
  7. Fleetwood Area High School
  8. Nazareth Area High School
  9. Parkland High School
  10. Pen Argyl Area High School
  11. Schuylkill Valley High School

Luzerne, Schuylkill counties

  1. Blue Mountain High School
  2. Hazleton Area High School
  3. MMI Preparatory School
  4. Pittston Area Senior High School
  5. Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory School (two teams)

REGION 6

Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lebanon, Perry counties

  1. Central Dauphin High School
  2. Cumberland Valley High School (two teams)
  3. Harrisburg High School — SciTech Campus
  4. Milton Hershey School
  5. Trinity High School

York, Adams counties

  1. Kennard-Dale High School
  2. Northern High School
  3. Spring Grove High School (four teams)

Lancaster County

  1. Cocalico High School
  2. Conestoga Valley High School
  3. P. McCaskey High School (two teams)
  4. Lancaster Catholic High School
  5. Lancaster Country Day School
  6. Penn Manor High School

REGION 7

Chester County

  1. Reed Henderson High School
  2. Bayard Rustin High School
  3. Bishop Shanahan High School (two teams)
  4. Conestoga High School
  5. Devon Preparatory School (two teams)
  6. Downingtown West High School
  7. Great Valley High School
  8. Malvern Preparatory School
  9. Owen J. Roberts High School
  10. Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School (PALCS)
  11. Villa Maria Academy High School
  12. West Chester East High School (two teams)

Delaware County

  1. Academy of Notre Dame
  2. Delaware County Christian School
  3. Episcopal Academy (two teams)
  4. Marple-Newtown High School
  5. Merion Mercy Academy (two teams)
  6. Monsignor Bonner High School/Archbishop Prendergast High School
  7. Ridley High School (three teams)
  8. Strath Haven High School
  9. Sun Valley High School
  10. The Shipley School
  11. Upper Darby High School

Bucks County

  1. Archbishop Wood High School
  2. Bensalem High School
  3. Bristol High School
  4. Central Bucks High School East
  5. Central Bucks High School South (two teams)
  6. Central Bucks High School West
  7. Council Rock High School North
  8. Council Rock High School South
  9. Holicong Middle School
  10. Holy Ghost Preparatory School
  11. Lenape Middle School
  12. Pennridge High School
  13. Plumstead Christian School
  14. Tamanend Middle School
  15. Villa Joseph Marie High School (two teams)

REGION 8

Philadelphia County

  1. Abraham Lincoln High School
  2. Academy at Palumbo High School (two teams)
  3. CAPA (High School for Creative and Performing Arts)
  4. Central High School of Philadelphia (two teams)
  5. Constitution High School
  6. Esperanza Academy Charter High School
  7. Franklin Learning Center High School
  8. Julia Masterman High School (three teams)
  9. Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls
  10. Nazareth Academy High School
  11. Northeast High School
  12. Philadelphia Academy Charter School
  13. Roman Catholic High School (four teams)
  14. Saint Joseph’s Preparatory School (two teams)
  15. Science Leadership Academy @ Center City
  16. The Mathematics, Civics & Sciences Charter School
  17. William Penn Charter School

REGION 9

Montgomery County

  1. Friends Central School
  2. Gwynedd Mercy Academy
  3. Harriton High School
  4. Hatboro-Horsham High School
  5. Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy
  6. Jenkintown High School
  7. Kohelet Yeshiva High School
  8. La Salle College High School
  9. Lower Merion High School (two teams)
  10. Lower Moreland High School (two teams)
  11. Methacton High School
  12. Mount St. Joseph Academy
  13. North Penn High School
  14. Plymouth Whitemarsh High School (two teams)
  15. Souderton Area High School
  16. The Baldwin School
  17. The Haverford School (two teams)
  18. Upper Dublin High School
  19. Wissahickon High School (two teams)

REGION 10

Bradford, Lackawanna, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming counties

  1. Abington Heights High School
  2. Carbondale Area High School
  3. Dunmore High School
  4. Holy Cross High School
  5. Honesdale High School
  6. Mid Valley High School
  7. North Pocono High School
  8. Scranton High School
  9. Scranton Preparatory School
  10. Valley View High School

Carbon, Monroe, Pike counties

  1. Delaware Valley High School
  2. East Stroudsburg High School South
  3. Jim Thorpe Area High School
  4. Notre Dame Jr./Sr. High School
  5. Palmerton High School
  6. Pocono Mountain West High School
  7. Stroudsburg High School

 

 

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