The Academy of Classical Christian Studies Wins State Mock Trial Championship

Two teams representing the Academy of Classical Christian Studies in Oklahoma City earned the honor of competing in this year’s Oklahoma High School Mock Trial Championship. The teams met for the final round of competition on March 3 in Tulsa at the Page Belcher Federal Building and U.S. Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma. The high school’s “Team Goodness,” in its role as plaintiff, defeated “Team Beauty,” in the role of defendant, in the fictional case of “Tony Shapiro v. Blackstone Insurance Company.” Team Goodness will now advance to represent Oklahoma at the National High School Mock Trial Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa, in May.

Through the Oklahoma High School Mock Trial program, which is funded by a grant from the Oklahoma Bar Foundation, high school students assume the roles of attorneys and witnesses as they build and argue cases before volunteer judges. Thirty-eight teams from across the state competed this year. Competition season began last fall.

“The High School Mock Trial program, now in its 45th year, is a unique activity that sharpens thinking, listening and speaking skills,” said Mock Trial Coordinator Mike Horn. “Students must analyze the materials from all perspectives and learn to build persuasive arguments. They develop critical thinking and reasoning skills that will serve them throughout their lives. Many former mock trial competitors go on to become lawyers and judges, and several participate now as volunteers.”

The final round was presented to a distinguished panel of judges. The presiding judge was Judge Jane Wiseman of the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals. Scoring panelists were Judge Dan Crawford, Judge Deirdre Dexter, Judge Stacie Hixon, Judge Mark Schwebke and Judge Georgenia Van Tuyl.

Both teams were coached by April Spencer, with Jennifer Stall serving as attorney coach. Ethan Hoyle and Tyler Smothers served as the teams’ assistant coaches.

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Thank You to our Volunteers

Judge and attorney volunteers gather at the Page Belcher Federal Building and U.S. Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma to host the 2026 Oklahoma High School Mock Trial championship round of competition.Along with the generous support from the Oklahoma Bar Foundation, hundreds of judges and attorneys volunteer to make each year’s program a success. These volunteers donate time to work with mock trial teams directly, score and judge the teams throughout the competition and serve as members of the OBA Mock Trial Committee to plan and execute the competition. Email mocktrial@okbar.org if you are interested in being a part of the committee or volunteering for the Oklahoma High School Mock Trial program next year!

Thank you to all Mock Trial volunteers! Without the hard work of hundreds of volunteers across the state, the Oklahoma High School Mock Trial program would not exist. Each year, more than 100 judges and attorneys donate time to work with mock trial teams, score and judge the teams throughout the competition and plan, prepare, write, conduct and oversee the competition. The Oklahoma Bar Foundation is the principal financial supporter of this competition, and without its generosity, the generational impact this program has developed since its inception simply would not exist. If you are interested in being a part of the committee or volunteering for the Oklahoma High School Mock Trial program next year, email Mock Trial Coordinator Michael Horn at michaelh@okbar.org.

 

MOCK TRIAL COMPETITION COORDINATOR
Michael Horn

VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR FOR OKLAHOMA AND TULSA COUNTIES
Carolyn Thompson

TRIAL SITE COORDINATORS
Michael Horn
Kent Larason
April McClure
Judge Tim Mills
Robin Rollins
Colton Scott
Jennifer Bruner Soltani
Justin Tharp
Carolyn Thompson

PRESIDING JUDGES AND SCORING PANELISTS
Ada
Tamra Albritton
John Wesley Billingsley
Kendra Blocker
Stefani Boyle
George Braly
Meagan Brooking
Wil Crawford
Josh Edwards
Debra Gee
Kristine Huntsman
Phillip Morton
Jenna Owens
Lauren Stafford
Amanda Tsoodle

Arapaho
Avery Eeds
Natalie Kinder
Staci Masquelier-Sweeden
Donelle Ratheal
Justin Tharp

Catoosa
Katie Griffin
Noah Sears

Claremore
Logan Hathcoat
Judge Stephen Pazzo
Jeff Price
Colton Scott
Billy Tomlinson
Jonathan Wade

Edmond
Dorothy Heim

McAlester
Kim Adams
Mahrle Angel
Eli Bland
Jim Bland
Lauren Dutton
Joe Ervin
Eddie Foraker
Eric Grantham
Elaine Green
Danielle Layden
Richard Lerblance
Buddy Neal
Ellen Quinton
Janet Roloff

Mustang
Michael Denton

Norman
Darlene Carbitcher
Haley Drusen
Kaimee Kellis
Rick Knighton
Chris Lind
Shelly McCorkle
Elizabeth Muckala
Jequita Napoli
Isabella Piske
Ryan Riddel
Jeanne Snider
Kathryn Walker
AshLynn Wilkerson

Oklahoma City
Isabella Barrett
Amber Bass
Jerry Bass
Kelly Bishop
Todd Blasdel
Heather Cline
Meagan Crockett-Edsall
John Denneny
Kara Didier
Monica Dionisio
Allyson Dow
Charles E. Geister III
Mark Grossman
Sarah Hall
Howard Haralson
Julie Carter Johnson
Chad Kelliher
Kent Larason
Lauren Lindsey
Melissa Lipe
Kevyn Gray Mattax
James R. Moore
Ben Munda
Patricia Parrish
Ryan Reaves
Andrea Rust
Roe Simmons
Travis Smith
Nicole Snapp-Holloway
Barry G. Stafford
Kendall Sykes
Ashley Weyland

Tahlequah
Paiten Taylor-Qualls

Tulsa
Chuck Adams
Taylor Bagby
Howard Berkson
Aaron Bruner
Shelby Brunette
Shena Burgess
Gregory Calvert
Mary J. Clement
Rachel Cory
Dan Crawford
Deirdre Dexter
Elise Ebright
Tom Ferguson
Natalie Frost
Aaron J. Goodman
Erica Grayson
Nicholas Hartman
M. Shane Henry
John Hickey
Judge Stacie Hixon
Alix Hughes
Thomas H. Hull Jr.
Brian L. Jackson
Jason Messenger
Andrew Polly
Judge Loretta Radford
Nikolas Rankin
Scott Savage
Mark Schwebke
Hunter Shedd
Sarah Siddall
Kelly Smakal
Kate Thompson
Georgenia Van Tuyl
Jennifer Zuyus

Yukon
Nathan Richter
Stephen Wolfe