Venture Academy wins county mock trial, heads to state contest

Each year, students from throughout San Joaquin County get a close-up look at the criminal justice system.

Launched in 1980 by the Constitutional Rights Foundation, the Mock Trial program challenges teams of students to look at a hypothetical criminal case — complete with witnesses, official exhibits, summaries of case law and simplified rules of evidence — and then use those materials to prepare strategies and arguments for trial like a real legal team would.

Judges and attorneys volunteer with the program to give students a true view of how the system works, and teachers and coaches use assignments and lesson plans to give students a deeper understanding of the case and the legalities surrounding it.

Co-sponsored by the San Joaquin County Bar Association, San Joaquin County Office of Education, and Constitutional Rights Foundation, students in the county have spent the past month arguing People v. Croddy, the trial of Lee Croddy, who hosts a popular YouTube channel called The Right Choice of News. Croddy has been charged with two counts: (1) aiding and abetting in the commission of firstdegree burglary by another, and (2) accessory after the fact.

After four weeks of competition and six rounds of play, the mock trial team from Venture Academy Family of Schools took first place in the 2021 San Joaquin County Mock Trial Competition and will move on to represent the county at the virtual state competition, which will be held from March 18 to 21.

A total of 88 students from Aspire Langston Hughes Academy, Merlo Institute of Environmental Technology, Mountain House High School, Stockton Early College Academy, Tracy High School, and Venture Academy Family of Schools competed in the varsity event.

Due to COVID-19 health and safety precautions, the competition, which normally takes place at the San Joaquin County Courthouse in Stockton, was held via Zoom from Feb. 2 to 25.

To view the full results, visit www.sjcoe.

For more information about the Mock Trial program, visit www.crf-usa.org.