Mock Trial Results

Stockton Early College Academy took first place in the 2026 San Joaquin County Mock Trial Competition and will move on to represent San Joaquin County at the California Mock Trial Competition in Oakland, March 20-22.                 

A total of 200 students from the following 11 high schools competed in the varsity event: Aspire Benjamin Holt Academy, ABLE Charter Schools, Mountain House High School (Lammersville Unified School District), Ronald E. McNair High School (Lodi Unified School District), Merlo Institute of Environmental Technology (Stockton Unified School District), Pacific Law Academy (Stockton Unified School District), Stockton Early College Academy (Stockton Unified School District), John C. Kimball High School (Tracy Unified School District), Merrill F. West High School (Tracy Unified School District), Tracy High School (Tracy Unified School District), and Venture Academy Family of Schools (San Joaquin County Office of Education).  

The San Joaquin County Mock Trial event is co-sponsored by the San Joaquin County Bar Association and the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) in cooperation with Teach Democracy (formerly the Constitutional Rights Foundation). The event would not have been possible without the assistance of the judges, attorneys, bailiffs, and others who volunteered their time.

Team Results:

First Place: Stockton Early College Academy

Second Place: Kimball High School

Third Place: Venture Academy Family of Schools

Fourth Place: Tracy High School

The Honorable John F. Cruikshank, Jr. Spirit Award

$500 provided by the San Joaquin County Bar Association:
Carson Bishop, ABLE Charter Schools

Pacific Summer High School Institute Award

Enrollment at two-week, all-inclusive residential pre-college institute ($3,500 value) provided by the University of the Pacific:
Keira Arce-Martinez, Merlo Institute

Top Pre-Trial Prosecution:

• Aydin Assifi, Tracy High School
• Samantha Pacheco, Venture Academy Family of Schools

Top Pre-Trial Defense:

• Jeffery Lor, Stockton Early College Academy
• Robert Pike, Merlo Institute

Top 12 Overall Attorneys:

• Bryan Alas, Venture Academy Family of Schools
• Keira Arce-Martinez, Merlo Institute
• Yocelin Barraza, Venture Academy Family of Schools
• Carson Bishop, ABLE Charter Schools
• Jiya Dua, Mountain House High School
• Kadyn Fakhouri, Venture Academy Family of Schools
• Joselin Gochez Garcia, Merlo Institute
• Srin Ibrahim, Tracy High School
• Keerat Sandhu, Aspire Benjamin Holt Academy
• Zoey Tibule, Mountain House High School
• Ethan Whitcomb, ABLE Charter Schools
• Sinai Zuniga, Stockton Early College Academy

Top Overall Witnesses:

• Stephen Avila, Pacific Law Academy
• Yara Cornal, Stockton Early College Academy
• Goonj Guatman, West High School
• Aliza Haque, Mountain House High School
• Yaretzi Jimenez-Pedroza, Venture Academy Family of Schools
• Sudiksha Kandukuri, West High School
• Nitin Karthikkani, Kimball High School
• Nathan Lee, Venture Academy Family of Schools
• Elias Mao, Pacific Law Academy
• Jeremiah Ned, Ronald McNair High School
• Samantha Pacheco, Venture Academy Family of Schools
• Dylan Seymour, Venture Academy Family of Schools 
• Eraclis Tsierlas, Kimball High School
• Jacob Wills, ABLE Charter Schools

Top Clerks:

• Evan Hogan, West High School
• Delyla Martinez, Pacific Law Academy 

Top Bailiffs:

• Jocelyn Villa, Merlo Institute

Top Courtroom Artist:

• Shrootee Thatte, Tracy High School

Top Journalist:

• Nathalia Estefania Alvarado Avilez, ABLE Charter Schools

About the case:

People v. Fromholz is the trial of Haley Fromholz, contestant on a reality cooking “Recipe for Success,” on first-degree murder charges of the celebrity judge Morgan Sears. Fromholz allegedly killed Sears after a feud. The case focuses on premeditation, Fourth Amendment issues, and digital evidence.

Photos available for media use at: http://bit.ly/4aOB5J0