On Jan. 23-24 the Oakmont Mock Trial team went up against six other teams and came out on top. 

For those unfamiliar with mock trial, Kate McGinnis, the president of the mock trial team, explains it like this:

“Basically, we get a made up criminal case, we roleplay as attorneys and witnesses, we have the prosecution and defense, and we do that in an actual court room.”

The Oakmont Mock Trial team went to the Placer County Superior Court of Roseville to compete. They went up against five other schools: Rocklin, Del Oro, Whitney, West Park, and John Adams.

We asked some of the members of the mock trial team about their experience and thoughts on the competition. 

We asked Sami Jabbarni, a senior on the mock trial team, and Aiden Shaffer, a junior on the mock trial teams, their thoughts on winning the county competition. Jabbarni said:

“It was a surreal feeling, like, after four years winning the first two, losing junior year, and then winning again, it was, like, everything I could ask for in my senior year.”

Shaffer said:

“I looked around and I just observed all of the people who were jumping up and like tears in their eyes and stuff.”

We asked McGinnis what the most challenging part of the trial was.

“The judge asks me questions during the trial, so I kind of have to think of my answers on the spot.”

Since the mock trial team won the county competition, they are now moving on to the state competition. We asked Jabbarni how he feels about moving to state.

“I’m super excited and real happy to get to go and participate in states and have fun with my team.”

We also asked Shaffer what it would mean to him to succeed at the state level.

“It would mean that all the hard work that me and my teammates have put over the past couple months was put to good use.”

It is exciting that our mock trial team has done so good and is receiving the opportunity to go to the state competition. I think I can speak for all of us at Oakmont when I say we are wishing them all the best of luck at the state competition!