​SAN JOSE, CA – On February 13, 2025, two high schools from the Fremont Union High School District went head to head in the courtroom at the annual Mock Trials finals. The defense team from Lynbrook High School defeated the Cupertino High School prosecution team in the Santa Clara County High School Mock Trial Tournament championship round. The winning team advances to the state championship in March. 

The Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE), in partnership with the Santa Clara County Bar Association and the Santa Clara County Superior Court, sponsors the Santa Clara County High School Mock Trial Tournament, which gives students an authentic trial experience. Each year, high school teams study a hypothetical case provided by the Constitutional Rights Foundation. Teams of students prepare to defend or prosecute the case and fulfill the roles of pretrial attorneys, prosecutors, defense attorneys, witnesses, and court staff.

“Congratulations to the students of the Lynbrook High School team,” said Kristina Ravo, Coordinator of History-Social Science & Civic Engagement at the Santa Clara County Office of Education. “All of the students who participated have demonstrated impressive skills that may serve them in future careers in government, law, or advocacy.” 

Twenty-two schools competed in seven rounds from January through February at the SCCOE office in San Jose. The final round occurred at Santa Clara County Superior Court’s Old Courthouse in downtown San Jose. The tournament was presided over by sitting superior court judges and was scored by local attorneys. 

In this year’s hypothetical case, People v. Gold, Logan Gold is charged with the kidnapping of Taylor Alexander, the rival candidate in a city council race against Gold’s spouse, Harper Dorais. The prosecution argued Gold abducted Alexander on the morning of November 11. The defense argued Gold had an alibi and Alexander purposefully faked the kidnapping. 

The Lynbrook High School team will advance to the state championship in Los Angeles, hosted by Teach Democracy from March 14 to 16.

Additionally, Cupertino High School’s Faith Tran won the 2025 Santa Clara County Courtroom Artist Contest. Two coaches were inducted into the Santa Clara County Mock Trial Coaches Hall of Fame: Jay Venkatesan from Homestead High School and Christian Cotter from Prospect High School. Georgia Ku received the Johnny Gogo Award for outstanding dedication to the Mock Trial Program for 20 years. 

For more information about the Mock Trial Competition and participating schools, visit https://www.sccoe.org/plisd/history/Pages/Mock-Trial.aspx​​