Palm Desert High School Mock Trial Team Advances to Elite 8, Only Valley School to Qualify

Palm Desert High School's mock trial team will compete in the Elite 8 round of the Riverside County Mock Trial Competition on Tuesday—the only Coachella Valley school to advance this far this year.

The Aztecs earned their spot over the weekend with a 3-1 record through four rounds of competition. Two of their defense witnesses and their chief defense attorney took home medals at the county awards.

The team faces Martin Luther King High School at 6 PM Tuesday at the Riverside Hall of Justice in Riverside. A win would send them to the county semi-finals on February 17, with the county finals scheduled for February 19.

Mock trial simulates a criminal court case, with high school students taking on roles as attorneys, witnesses, clerks, and bailiffs. The county champion advances to the California Mock Trial Finals in March, with a potential path to the national championship in Des Moines, Iowa, in May.