Indian Hill High School Team Red (Hamilton County) defeated the Notre Dame Cathedral Latin High School-Legal Lions (Geauga County) to win the 34th annual high school Mock Trial state championship over the weekend.

Sponsored by the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education (OCLRE), the competition began on March 9 at the Franklin County Courthouse with 32 teams from across the state. Indian Hill and Notre Dame each won four consecutive trials to advance to the championship, which took place on March 11 at the Ohio Statehouse and was broadcast live by the Ohio Channel. The Indian Hill team will compete for the National High School Mock Trial Championship, May 11-13, in Hartford, Connecticut.

Ohio Mock Trial is the state’s largest high school academic competition. More than 3,500 students participate each year, and about 1,000 legal professionals volunteer to serve as judges and team advisors. Each year, OCLRE writes an original case based on a relevant constitutional issue. This year’s case, Pat Justice v. CAT News et al., focused on a First Amendment issue in which students considered a case of defamation of a public official by a news station.

Students must prepare arguments for both plaintiff and defense. Ohio Mock Trial is designed to educate students about the U.S. Constitution and judicial system and to help them develop critical thinking, reading, writing, public speaking and listening skills.

The panel of judges for the final trial included Ohio State Bar Association President Ronald Kopp; Ohio State Bar Foundation President Andrew Storar; OCLRE Board of Trustees member Candice Suffren; Clermont County Common Pleas Court Judge Jerry R. McBride; Holmes County Department of Job and Family Services Personnel Director Jeff Ginsburg; Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association Assistant Director of Community Programs & Information Jessica Paine; and Ohio Supreme Court Children & Families Section Manager Stephanie Nelson.