Mock Trial Team Advances to Final Round

By Morsal Abdali
Staff Writer | The Pacific Times

For the first time in school history, the Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep High School Mock Trial team has advanced to the final round and will be competing for the first place Sacramento County title today, Feb. 15.

The competition will be held at the Robert T. Matsui Federal courthouse against Sacramento Country Day’s High School Mock Trial team.

“The coaches are extremely proud of the hard work and dedication the team has put in this year,” said attorney coach Angel Pineda, who coaches the team alongside attorney coaches Shani Roark and Rebecca Morissey. “This is the furthest NP3 Mock Trial has ever advanced, placing us one more win away from the goal we set for ourselves at the beginning of the year. A very tall task looms this Thursday against Sacramento Country Day, but this team is definitely up for the challenge.”

The 2024 Mock Trial season started towards the end of January . Each year, NP3 Mock Trial competes in the Sacramento County competition which includes four guaranteed rounds and the top 8 teams move to quarterfinals, semifinals, and consolation round or final round.

During the four preliminary rounds NP3 competed against Jesuit High School and swept all three ballots from three scoring judges which guaranteed the team a spot in the quarterfinals. This year the competition included 25 teams from area schools with more than 450 students participating.

The NP3 team was among eight teams that advanced to compete in the quarter-finals and then semi finals held Feb. 10 at the Sacramento Superior Court downtown. The team won both their rounds.

This year, Teach Democracy, a nonprofit that coordinates the California Mock Trial Program released a murder trial, People versus Clark. The case includes a first-degree murder charge against defendant, Tobie Clark, who is being charged with killing the CEO of a medical corporation, Sunshine Medical Components.