Congratulations Yosemite!

Yosemite High School won the 2018-2019 Honorable Edward P. Moffat Madera County Mock Trial held on January 17, 24, and 26.  Yosemite High School battled Liberty, Madera, and Madera South High Schools.
Yosemite High’s defense and Madera South High School’s prosecution team competed in the championship round. Yosemite won the competition and will attend the State Mock Trial March 22-24 in Sacramento on behalf of Madera County.

Team members include: Mia Adelizi, William Bates, Macy Bazzar, Hannah Beaumont, Lauren Bernardi, Jack Dinda, Emma Fries, Makayla Jeffries, Linnea Leinau, Maya Magdaleno, Sophia McGoldrick, Isabella Peter, Leslie Ramirez, Gannaen Skeahan, Cale Sweeney, Jasmine Tanoury, Stevie Trujillo, Madison Washburn, and Abigail Williams. The team is coached by Matt Skeahan, Deborah Brown, and local attorney Bernie McGoldrick.

Madera County will also be sending a Courtroom Journalist to the state competition. Kaelo Mohulski from Yosemite High School won the Courtroom Journalist competition. She reported on a trial on January 17. 

During the fictional case People vs. Klein, Reagan Klein was tried for two felony counts, making a false report of an emergency and making a criminal threat.  Mock Trial students also discussed the First Amendment during the pretrial argument.  For a full case brief visit California Rights Foundation Case Brief.

The Mock Trial is a simulation of a criminal court case in which the students act as attorneys, witnesses, bailiffs and clerks. Attorneys from throughout the valley scored the students’ performance.

Each team was coached by attorneys as well as teachers in preparation for the trial. The Liberty team was coached by Claire Copher and Laura Markle; the Madera team was coached by teacher Michael Horder and attorney Traci Wise; Madera South was coached by teacher Rodia Montgomery-Gentry and attorneys Rachel Cartier, Noah Marshall and David Peterson.

Judge Dale Blea, Judge Michael Jurkovich, and Judge Ernest LiCalsi presided over the trials. The Mock Trial was held on three separate days and teams participated in four rounds of competition.

For more information on the Madera County Mock Trial please contact Kristi Winter, Coordinator, Student Events, at 559-662-3873 or kwinter@mcsos.org.