High School Mock Trial Team Advances to State Championship

Pine-Richland High School’s Mock Trial team has advanced to the PBA Young Lawyer Division High School Mock Trial State Championship to be held March 28-29. The team includes seniors JoJo Barbiaux, Ian Hurt, Nedda Immen, Anna Karmanos, Eliza Lazzaro, June McCune, Ava Muster, Will Tamburri and Jillian Uzelac, and juniors Sanika Das, Brooke Deegan and Deeya Nayyar.

Following their win at January’s Cathedral Classic, the team entered the statewide tournament and won four consecutive qualifying trials to become one of the first of two teams from Allegheny County to qualify. The team is one of 14 from across Pennsylvania that qualified out of 290 participating teams and is the first Pine-Richland team in 11 years to be invited to the finals. This year’s case involves lost treasure, stolen property and family legacy. 

“Achieving this top position in such an academic competition is the outcome of countless hours of commitment from our students,” said Mr. Len Caric, GATE teacher and Mock Trial coach. “Their presentation and critical-thinking abilities have left a strong impression on our local lawyers who have awarded this team high marks for their impeccable work.” The team is also coached by John J. Berry, attorney advisor, Pine-Richland graduate, and former Mock Trial team member. 

The PBA/YLD Mock Trial Competition gives over 290 high school student teams from across the state the opportunity to act as lawyers and witnesses in simulated civil trials before actual judges and panels of juries. Lawyers volunteer to assist students as team advisors, scorekeepers and regional coordinators. Each year, the winning team goes on to represent Pennsylvania in the national competition.