Each year the Constitutional Rights Foundation sponsors a Mock Trial Competition. The competition is statewide and Cornelia Connelly is a member of the Orange County chapter. Mock Trial combines law-related education with tournament-style competition. Using a simulated criminal court case, students explore current and complex legal, social, and constitutional issues. Student teams from over 40 local high schools prepare to enact every role in a trial with the guidance of attorney and teacher coaches. The teams meet at the Central Justice Center for eight rounds of competition. Superior Court, California Appellate, and Federal Court judges preside at the trials, and attorneys observe and rate the performance of student teams in a variety of categories. More than 1,000 students and hundreds of volunteers from the legal and education communities participate in the program. 

The 2013 season was a tremendous success. Connelly was undefeated during the season. We competed against Corona del Mar High School, Esperanza High School, Foothill High School, and University High School. We lost in a single-elimination play-off round to Santa Margarita in a match that was so close it had to be decided by a tie-breaker. Congratulations to our 2013 Mock Trial Team! 

A special congratulations to the students listed below. They received special honors at the annual Mock Trial Luncheon, which was held at the Orange County Sheriff’s Academy on February 14, 2014. 

• Alyssabeth Reyes = Outstanding Trial Attorney
• Sophia Albanese = Outstanding Expert Witness
• Chanelle Leva = Outstanding Courtroom Artist, 2^nd Place

2013-2014 MOCK TRIAL

Teacher-Coach: Mrs. Pam Schulz
Attorney-Coaches: 
Jesse Verdin of Verdin Family Law (father of Melissa ’11, and Alysia ’13)
April Balangue of Poliquin & DeGrave LLP
Vince Fabrizio (father of Isabelle, 10^th grade)
Cris Albanese (mother of Sophia, 10^th grade)

2013-2014 Mock Trial Team Members:                           

2012-2013 MOCK TRIAL

Teacher-Coach: Ms. Evelyn Dinnen
Attorney-Coaches:
Jesse Verdin of Verdin Family Law
April Balangue of Poliquin & DeGrave LLP

The 2012-2013 Mock Trial team members are: Janan Abdelmuti, Yvana Bustamante, Dominique Codjia, Bianca Cruz, Noelle Fischer, Eibhlin Kay, Lucia La, Jennifer Nguyen, Nini Nguyen, Alyssa Reyes, Ally Saavedra, Tatiana Sanden, Hailey Sledge, Angelica Sunga, Gaby Taylor, Tran Truong, Alysia Verdin and Laura Yu.  

Cornelia Connelly School's Mock Trial team placed in Orange County's Top 4 teams in 2011-2012.
Team members serve as pre-trail attorneys, prosecuting and defense attorneys, witnesses, courtroom clerks, bailiffs, and courtroom artists. The team of 20 competes twice weekly at the Santa Ana Courthouse against high school teams from across Orange County.