National High School Mock Trial Championship


The National High School Mock Trial Championship is an American nationwide competition of high school mock trial teams. Hundreds, and even thousands of teams participate in district, regional, and state tournaments to select one champion team to represent each of the 50 states. The competition debuted in 1984 in Des Moines, Iowa, with teams representing Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin.
Georgia and Iowa have been the most successful states in the competition, each winning the title four separate times. Washington State and Tennessee have won the national championship three times, while California, New Jersey, South Carolina, Indiana, New Mexico, and Arizona have all won twice.

Winners

Past winners and runners-up of the competition include the following schools:
YearHost CityWinnerSecond Place
1984Des Moines, IowaNebraska - Ogallala High SchoolMinnesota - Cloquet High School
1985Lincoln, NebraskaTexas - Richard King High Schoolunknown
1986Phoenix, ArizonaIowa - Lincoln High SchoolWisconsin - Superior High School
1987Washington, D.C.Arizona - Xavier College PreparatoryIowa - Marshalltown High School
1988Dallas, TexasSouth Carolina - Socastee High SchoolTexas - Westlake High School
1989Louisville, KentuckyWisconsin - Rhinelander High SchoolCalifornia - John Marshall High School
1990Portland, OregonColorado - Evergreen High SchoolOhio - Shaw High School
1991New Orleans, LouisianaNew Jersey - Bergen Catholic High SchoolTexas - Richard King High School
1992Madison, WisconsinOhio - Shaw High SchoolTexas - Richard King High School
1993Atlanta, GeorgiaMississippi - South Pike High SchoolOhio - Shaw High School
1994Chicago, IllinoisCalifornia - Arlington High SchoolRhode Island - Classical High School
1995Denver, ColoradoGeorgia - South Gwinnett High SchoolDelaware - St. Mark's High School
1996Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaMichigan - Kalamazoo Central High SchoolArizona - Deer Valley High School
1997Nashville, TennesseeArizona - Deer Valley High SchoolTennessee - Clinton High School, Tennessee
1998Albuquerque, New MexicoNew Jersey - Cherry Hill High School EastGuam - Southern High School
1999St. Louis, MissouriGeorgia - Clarke Central High SchoolColorado - Regis Jesuit High School
2000Columbia, South CarolinaWashington - Franklin High SchoolNorth Carolina - Asheboro High School
2001Omaha, NebraskaIowa - Pocahontas High SchoolNew Jersey - Montclair High School
2002St. Paul, MinnesotaTennessee - Family Christian Academy HomeschoolersPennsylvania - Quigley Catholic High School
2003New Orleans, LouisianaTennessee - Family Christian Academy HomeschoolersColorado - Glenwood Springs High School
2004Orlando, FloridaSouth Carolina - Bob Jones AcademyWisconsin - Rhinelander High School
2005Charlotte, North CarolinaCalifornia - Tamalpais High SchoolHawaii - Kauai High School
2006Oklahoma City, OklahomaIowa - Valley High SchoolMichigan - Kalamazoo Central High School
2007Dallas, TexasGeorgia - Jonesboro High SchoolMichigan - Kalamazoo Central High School
2008Wilmington, DelawareGeorgia - Jonesboro High SchoolMichigan - Kalamazoo Central High School
2009Atlanta, GeorgiaIndiana - John Adams High SchoolMinnesota - Lakeville North High School
2010Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaMinnesota - Breck SchoolIllinois - Hinsdale Central High School
2011Phoenix, ArizonaIndiana - John Adams High SchoolMissouri - MICDS
2012Albuquerque, New MexicoNew Mexico - Albuquerque AcademyGeorgia - Henry W. Grady High School
2013Indianapolis, IndianaNew Mexico - Albuquerque AcademyCalifornia - La Reina High School
2014Madison, WisconsinWashington - Seattle Preparatory SchoolSouth Carolina - North Myrtle Beach High School
2015Raleigh, North CarolinaNebraska - Duchesne AcademyGeorgia - Northview High School
2016Boise, IdahoIowa - Marion Home School Assistance ProgramNebraska - Duchesne Academy
2017Hartford, ConnecticutNorth Carolina - Central Carolina HomeschoolersMichigan - Kalamazoo Central High School
2018Reno, NevadaWashington - Franklin High SchoolMinnesota - Nova Classical Academy
2019Athens, GeorgiaTennessee - Agathos Classical SchoolNebraska - Creighton Preparatory School

Controversy

2005

The Torah Academy of Bergen County from Teaneck, New Jersey had won its state's 2005 competition, but faced difficulties in its ultimately successful effort to gain accommodations to participate in the National High School Mock Trial Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina without being required to compete during the Jewish Sabbath.
The American Mock Trial Invitational was created in 2006 by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation and the North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers as an alternative competition to address concerns of religious commitments by competing school teams.

2009

of Brookline, Massachusetts won the 2009 Massachusetts state championship and desired to participate in the national championship in Atlanta, Georgia. Due to religious dietary restrictions and Shabbat observance the school asked for accommodation in order to participate without violating their religious beliefs. The school asked for two trials to be changed from Saturday to Thursday or Friday in order to avoid violating Shabbat. In response the school obtained attorney Nathan Lewin to represent the school. Lewin filed a complaint with the US Department of Justice alleging religious discrimination and a violation of civil rights. Attorney Elizabeth Price resigned from the Georgia State Bar in protest over the National Board refusing to grant the requests for accommodation. The Anti-Defamation League sent a letter of protest to the National Board complaining against the lack of reasonable accommodation, asking the National Board not to punish children for their religious beliefs. The United States Congress condemned the National Board for failing to provide for these accommodations. On May 7, 2009, Fulton County Superior Court Chief Judge Doris Downs ruled that unless the competition would accommodate the Orthodox Jewish students, then the courthouse would not be allowed to be used for the competition.