Dr. Cesar Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, is pleased to announce the eight high school teams that will move on to the semifinal round of the 2026 Ventura County Mock Trial competition. Twenty-four local high schools fielded teams in the initial Mock Trial rounds held last weekend at the Hall of Justice at the Ventura County Government Center. The following eight high school teams had the highest scores and will advance to the semifinals:
- Adolfo Camarillo High School (Team 1)
- Oak Park High School (Team 1)
- Oak Park High School (Team 2)
- Royal High School
- Saint Bonaventure High School
- Santa Susana High School (Team 1)
- Santa Susana High School (Team 2)
- Trinity Pacific Christian School (Team 1)
The high school mock trial semifinals will take place on Saturday, February 28. The top four remaining teams will advance to the finals on Sunday, March 1.
Middle School Competition Enters Fourth Year
For the fourth year in a row, the Ventura County Mock Trial includes a separate competition for middle school students. This year, 11 local middle schools will face off at the Hall of Justice beginning on Saturday, February 28.
Media Invited to Mock Trial Finals and Awards Ceremonies
Members of the media are invited to attend the final rounds and awards ceremonies of the high school and middle school Mock Trial competitions. Media representatives are asked to check in at the registration table upon arrival. The event details are as follows:
| Event | Date | Start | End* | Location |
| High School Final Round | Sunday 3/1/26 | 9:00 AM | 5:00 PM | Hall of Justice – 800 South Victoria Avenue, Ventura |
| High School Awards Ceremony | Tuesday 3/3/26 | 5:00 PM | 7:00 PM | VCOE Conference & Educational Services Center – 5100 Adolfo Road, Camarillo |
| Middle School Final Round | Thursday 3/5/26 | 2:00 PM | 5:00 PM | VCOE Conference & Educational Services Center – 5100 Adolfo Road, Camarillo |
| Middle School Awards Ceremony | Thursday 3/5/26 | 6:00 PM** | 8:00 PM | VCOE Conference & Educational Services Center – 5100 Adolfo Road, Camarillo |
*End times are estimates and may vary
**May be later if the final round runs past 5 pm
More about the 2026 Ventura County Mock Trial
The Mock Trial competition is coordinated annually by the Ventura County Office of Education. The event brings courtroom drama to life as students take on the roles of participants in a criminal case, including attorneys, witnesses, bailiffs, and journalists. The students present their cases in real courtrooms before actual judges. Local attorneys volunteer to serve as scorers. This year’s fictitious case is People v. Fromholz, which is about the murder of a celebrity judge on at TV cooking show.
The 24 high schools participating in this year’s Mock Trial are:
- Adolfo Camarillo High School
- Buena High School
- Channel Islands High School
- Fillmore High School
- High School at Moorpark College
- Hueneme High School
- Newbury Park High School
- Nordhoff High School
- Oak Park High School
- Oaks Christian School
- Oxnard High School
- Rancho Campana High School
- Rio Mesa High School
- Royal High School
- Saint Augustine Academy
- Saint Bonaventure High School
- Santa Paula High School
- Santa Susana High School
- Simi Valley High School
- Thousand Oaks High School
- Trinity Pacific Christian School
- Ventura High School
- Villanova Preparatory High School
- Westlake High School
The 11 middle schools participating this year are:
- Briggs Elementary
- Chaparral Middle School
- Hillside Middle School
- Isbell Middle School
- Las Colinas Middle School
- Medea Creek Middle School
- Mesa Union School
- Rio Del Sol Middle School
- Sinaloa Middle School
- Trinity Pacific Christian School
- Valley View Middle School
The winning high school team will go on to the state Mock Trial contest, which takes place in Oakland in March. Ventura County teams have taken first place at the state level in 2025, 2024, 2021, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2008. A list of past winners is available here. This year’s Ventura County Mock Trial logo artwork was created by Amaryllis Bartlett, a 12th grader at Adolfo Camarillo High School. Additional information about the Ventura County Mock Trial is available at vcoe.org/mocktrial.
About the Ventura County Office of Education
The Ventura County Office of Education provides a broad array of fiscal, training, and technology support services to local school districts, helping to maintain and improve lifelong educational opportunities for children, educators, and community members. VCOE also operates schools that serve students with severe disabilities and behavioral issues, provides career education courses, and coordinates countywide academic competitions including Mock Trial and the Ventura County Science Fair. Learn more at: www.vcoe.org