SOAR Mock Trial Advances to LA County Semifinals

By Staff Reports

Ranked 9th out of 100 teams, the burgeoning program sweeps the verdicts in Rounds 1 and 2 to secure a spot among the county’s top contenders.

In only its second year competing at the county level, the SOAR High School Mock Trial team earned a coveted berth in the semifinals of the Los Angeles County Mock Trial competition. Entering the elimination bracket ranked 9th out of 100 competing schools, SOAR backed up its top-ten seeding by winning the verdict in both Round 1 and Round 2.

Advancing to the semifinals marks a milestone achievement for a program still in its infancy. Los Angeles County hosts one of the largest and most fiercely contested regional mock trial tournaments in California, drawing powerhouse high school teams with decades of institutional history. Breaking into the top tier of a 100-team field—and doing so in just a second season of county play—underscores the rapid growth, preparation, and courtroom poise of SOAR’s student attorneys and witnesses.

In mock trial competition, teams are evaluated on two fronts: performance scores assigned by scoring attorneys based on presentation, rules of evidence, and poise, and the presiding judge’s verdict on the legal merits of the case. Securing the verdict in both Round 1 and Round 2 demonstrates that SOAR’s prosecution and defense squads not only commanded the courtroom, but also delivered persuasive, legally sound arguments under intense pressure.

Mock trial demands months of preparation, requiring students to master complex case

packets, memorize witness affidavits, deliver unscripted opening and closing statements, and respond on the fly to opposing counsel's objections. For a second-year program to outpace more than 90 veteran teams across the county speaks to the dedication of the students and coaching staff who built the team from the ground up.

Last year, SOAR captured the district championship - the first ever in the school's history.

With momentum on their side and two decisive elimination victories already under their belt, SOAR now turns its focus to the Los Angeles County semifinals, where they will square off against the region's remaining top programs for a chance to advance to the county championship.