Shorewood High School Mock Trial Team with the final round judging panel. Front row (left to right): Molly Eder, Justine Spore, Mario Fergoso, Sarah Goldberg, Balen Essak, Will Sandy, Alex Knitter, Claire Howland, Mary Grace Wabner. Back row, from left: Atty. Michael Rosenberg, Hon. Thomas Hruz, Hon. Stephen Crocker, Atty. Cassel Villarreal, Hon. Brian Blanchard.

Visit the State Bar’s Facebook page for more photos of this event, or click here.

March 16, 2016 – The Shorewood High School mock trial team is in possession of its third state mock trial title after defeating Rhinelander High School in the final round of the annual two-day state competition. Shorewood will represent Wisconsin at the 2016 National Mock Trial Championship, May 12-14, in Boise, Idaho.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Crocker, a longtime mock trial volunteer, served as presiding judge over the final round, which was held Sunday, March 13, in the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

“Both teams put on an impressive performance,” said State Bar of Wisconsin Mock Trial Chair Emily Lonergan. “All of the students proved to the judges and audience that they have the composure and skills needed to handle a real court case.”

Shorewood’s team members include Alex Knitter, Balen Essak, Claire Howland, Justine Spore, Kavanaugh Johnson, Mario Fergoso, Mary Grace Wagner, Molly Eder, Sarah Goldberg, and Will Sandy. Debra Schwinn is the team’s teacher coach, and Attorney Nathan Bayer serves as attorney coach.

Shorewood and Rhinelander – who competed against each other in the finals for the third time – were the top two teams to make it out of the semifinals, which took place Saturday, March 12, 2016, at the Dane County Courthouse in Madison. Sixteen teams from across the state competed in the daylong event, which consisted of four intense rounds of competition.

“Every year I’m stunned by the level of professionalism and preparedness by all 16 teams,” Lonergan said. “As a former mock trial participant, I know what it takes to make it to the state competition. All of the students, parents and coaches should be proud.”

More photos of the final round as well as team and award portraits are available on the State Bar of Wisconsin Facebook page and on Flickr.

For more information about Wisconsin Mock Trial, contact State Bar Public Education Manager Katie Wilcox at (608) 250-6191 or kwilcox@wisbar.org.

The Mock Trial program is funded by a generous grant from the Wisconsin Law Foundation, the charitable arm of the State Bar of Wisconsin, supporting law-related education and public service programs statewide.