University Prep High School is Washington State 2026 Mock Trial Champion

University Prep High School is Washington State 2026 Mock Trial Champion

The University Prep High School Mock Trial team won the title of Washington State 2026 Mock Trial Champion Sunday, March 22, after an extremely close competitive trial against the Marysville YMCA team at the Pierce County Courthouse in Tacoma.

The University Prep team, from Seattle, now qualifies to move on to the national Mock Trial championship in Des Moines, Iowa in May.

The championship trial was presided over by Washington Supreme Court Justice Colleen Melody and was recorded by TVW, to be aired later this week. University Prep and Marysville YMCA emerged as the top two mock trial teams following four rounds of competition between 28 teams from across the state in the championship tournament, which began Friday, March 20.

Following the championship trial on Sunday, Melody said she was impressed by the preparation and legal knowledge of the student competitors. "You were all so prepared. I came to talk to you about the law, and you came prepared to talk to me about it," she told the students. "You did a fantastic job. We want you to continue down this path."

The tournament involved 28 teams from 23 high schools and YMCA centers, and included more than 150 volunteer judicial officers and attorneys who presided over trials and served as jury "raters," scoring the different elements of trial presentations such as opening and closing statements, witness testimony, presentation of evidence, cross examination and more.

The top 14 high school finalists of the 2026 competition are:

• 1st: University Prep
• 2nd: Marysville YMCA
• 3rd: Franklin HS - Jade
• 4th: Seattle Prep - Blue
• 5th: The Oaks Christian Academy
• 6th: Franklin HS - Obsidian
• 7th: Eastlake HS - Silver
• 8th: Skyline HS - Green
• 9th: Skyline HS - Silver
• 10th: Mukilteo YMCA - Varsity
• 11th: Ingraham HS
• 12th: Seattle Prep - White
• 13th: Port Townsend HS
• 14th: Wenatchee HS

The William Downing Values Award was presented to Franklin High School. The award goes to the team best exhibiting values of sportsmanship, respect and professionalism promoted through the YMCA Mock Trial mission, and is named for longtime YMCA Mock Trial State Chair, retired King County Superior Court Judge William Downing.

The Outstanding Attorney award for the tournament was presented to two students with tie scores - Rudy Vazquez of the Marysville YMCA team, and Kasey Cramer of Annie Wright School in Tacoma. The Outstanding Witness award was presented to five students with tied scores: Gabriela Bunin - Seattle Academy; Kardin Tran - Columbia River High School; Jacob Hogan - Chief Sealth High School; Oihane Escoz - Franklin High School; August Akopyan - Mukilteo YMCA.

For the championship trial, the Outstanding Attorney Award was presented to Mabel Robison of Marysville YMCA. The Outstanding Witness Award was presented to Simrin Dhaliwal of Marysville YMCA.

The 2026 Mock Trial competition featured the first year the statewide program was led by Pierce County District Court Judge Lizanne Padula, who also authored the fictional criminal case that teams learned to compete against each other. This year's case featured an alleged vehicular assault involving minor cell phone use and a dispute over the status of a traffic light. Padula succeeds longtime YMCA Mock Trial State Chair, Clark County Superior Court Judge Robert Lewis.

The YMCA Mock Trial program began in 1987 and is part of the YMCA's Youth & Government program, which helps students experience democracy in action. Mock Trial allows students to participate in true-to-life courtroom battles before real judges and attorneys, gaining an understanding of the law and the role of the judiciary, as well as developing skills in public speaking, advocacy, and more.

CONTACT: Lorrie Thompson, AOC senior communications officer, [email protected], (360) 705-5347; Nolan Martin, Executive Director, Washington YMCA Youth & Government,(360) 367-8738.