Essex Vicinage to Host Mock Trial Program

The Essex Vicinage and the Essex County Bar Association will host the 2024 Vincent J. Apruzzese High School Mock Trial Competition on various dates between Tuesday, Jan. 30 and Thursday, Feb. 15.

The competition will begin with preliminary rounds on Jan. 30 and Thursday, Feb. 1 at the Veteran’s Courthouse, 50 W. Market St., Newark. The quarterfinal round will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 6 and the semifinal round will be held on Thursday, Feb. 8. Finals will be held Thursday, Feb. 15 at the Historic Courthouse, 470 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Newark.

Students from 22 schools in Essex County will participate in the competition. This year’s program features a criminal case with high school students simulating the roles of defendants, attorneys, and witnesses. 

Attorneys will serve as volunteer judges in the preliminary rounds, while Superior Court judges will preside over the quarterfinal and semi-final rounds. The competition will conclude with New Jersey Supreme Court Associate Justices Anne M. Patterson and Michael Noriega presiding over the final rounds on Feb. 15 in courtroom 200 in the Historic Courthouse. Fifteen of the competing schools will have attorney volunteers who will assist by working with and coaching the students.

inners of the county finals advance to the regional semifinals, where they will have the opportunity to advance to the New Jersey State Championship.

For more information on the mock trial schedule, contact the Trial Court Administrator’s Office at 973-776-9500, ext. 57581.