The team from Westfield High School is in its third year, coached by Marquette County Circuit Court Judge Chad Hendee (front row, left) and teacher coach Becky Nemitz-Walters (front row, right).

Feb. 18, 2026 – You could argue that the results don’t matter for high school mock trial: because the real victory for the students is in gaining strong skills that will last a lifetime.

“We had a bunch of kids doing things they had never done before,” said Judge Chad Hendee, Marquette County Circuit Court, (and also the 2025 State Bar of Wisconsin Judge of the Year).

Now in his third year as a coach for the Westfield High School team, Judge Hendee is dedicated to mock trial because of the impact it has on every student.

Even when a team does not go on to compete in the semifinals – which includes Westfield’s team this year – participating “teaches them confidence in themselves and promotes an ability to speak in public that is priceless.”

“Mock trial teaches students how to think, speak, and stand their ground – and that sticks long after the competition ends,” said Westfield’s teacher coach, Becky Nemitz-Walters.

The Impact of Mock Trial

The State Bar of Wisconsin’s High School Mock Trial program teaches students how our system really works – by doing what lawyers do: try cases (fictitious) firmly grounded in the facts and the law, in front of a neutral arbiter. The tournament is made possible with grants from the Wisconsin Law Foundation.

Each team is coached by a Wisconsin attorney or judge, as well as a teacher-coach. Each year, around 100 teams compete – and with each team allowed as many as 12 members, that means around 1,200 high school students participate in the program – learning about the law, the justice system, and learning teamwork skills that will help them in their future careers.

More specifically, mock trial teaches students:

• how the legal system works;

• courtroom etiquette;

• how to read and analyze a case and use evidence;

• logical reasoning skills to build an argument and think quickly;

• persuasive writing, public speaking, teamwork, working under pressure; and

• showing up for practice even when tired for the good of the team.

“And perhaps most importantly, taking victories with humility and losses with grace,” says Nemitz-Walters.

About the Regionals Competition

More than 100 high school mock trial teams competed in 10 regional tournaments around the state on Feb. 7. Of these, 20 teams are headed to compete in Madison in early March.

The 2026 High School Mock Trial Tournament (fictitious) case brings students into the world of exotic animal ownership, personal injury law, and a murky line between activism and sabotage. Specifically, the animal in question is an ostrich.

“This year, the students learned a lot about many things – including way more about the behaviors of ostriches than they ever thought they would,” said Judge Hendee. “They also learned how to analyze a problem and how to persuasively present their side of an argument.”

During the La Crosse regionals tournament Feb. 7, an attorney from the Prairie du Chien team questions Westfield High School junior witness Claire Peschel​​​​. Judging the round is Jessica Skemp, an assistant district attorney for La Crosse County.

We Need Volunteer Judges: No Experience Necessary

The program is seeking volunteers – attorneys and judges – to serve as judges for the semifinal competition in March. No prior experience is required – just a passion for law and a willingness to support students.

The semifinals are held in Madison on Friday and Saturday, March 6 and 7, 2026. Session times are Friday, March 6, from 5 to 8 p.m.; and Saturday, March 7, from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Generally, volunteers choose to be judges for either the morning or afternoon competitions, but you can choose to volunteer for both sessions.

To volunteer, visit the Mock Trial volunteer page, and fill out the form. If you have questions, please email mocktrial@wisbar.org or call (608) 250-6083.

Year 2: Courtroom Artist Competition Continues

This year continues a new element brought to the tournaments in 2025: a courtroom artist competition.

Teams may bring additional members tasked with drawing a courtroom scene in real-time. The winning artist will be selected by their peers at the annual awards banquet following the semifinals tournament.

The 2026 Mock Trial Teams Headed to Semifinals

Congratulations to these teams who will compete in the Wisconsin High School Mock Trial semifinals tournament in Madison on March 6-7, 2026. These teams will compete:

Mock Trial: Funded by the Wisconsin Law Foundation

The Wisconsin High School Mock Trial Tournament is a State Bar of Wisconsin program funded by the Wisconsin Law Foundation, the charitable arm of the State Bar.

The Wisconsin High School 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. Donations to the Wisconsin Law Foundation’s Mock Trial Fund can be made online at wisbar.org/wlfdonate.