A team of crack “mock” lawyers from Lakewood High School beat out competitors this weekend to win the state finals of the Colorado Bar Association Mock Trial Tournament.
Lakewood held off a team from Colorado Spring’s William J. Palmer High School in the final round of the tournament Saturday.
This year’s finals were hosted by the El Paso County Bar Association and held at the El Paso County Judicial Building in Colorado Springs.
The competing students held mock criminal cases in actual courtrooms, with practicing attorneys and judges scoring the performances.
In its 25th year, the tournament helps students develop critical thinking along with public speaking, reasoning, strategic planning and team collaborative skills.
Colorado Supreme Court Justice Alex Martinez presided over the championship round.
The Lakewood team now moves on to compete in the national championship in Philadelphia in May.
Forty-four teams will compete in the nationals.
