Two local high schools advanced to the mock trial competition finals, which will take place on March 30 at 3 p.m. at the New York State Supreme Court in Central Islip.
Northport High School, led by teachers Bill Slagle and Hannah Wiederman and attorney coaches David Lazer and Mark Goidell, and Ward Melville High School, will face each other in the 2026 Suffolk County Mock Trial Competition finals after winning their semifinal rounds on March 25. The last time Northport won this competition was in 2021. Ward Melville last won in 2024.
District Court Judge Eric Sachs, dean of the Suffolk Academy of Law, will preside over the final match. The winner will advance to the New York State Finals in Albany in May.
Over 500 students from 32 Suffolk County public and private high schools participated in the 2026 New York State High School Mock Trial Program in Suffolk County. This educational program is co-sponsored by The Suffolk County Bar Association (SCBA) and The Suffolk Academy of Law.
The New York State High School Mock Trial Program is a joint venture of The New York Bar Foundation, the New York State Bar Association, and the Law, Youth and Citizenship Program. In this educational program, high school students gain first-hand knowledge of civil/criminal law and courtroom procedures. Thousands of students participate each year.
The objectives of the tournament are to teach students ethics, civility, and professionalism; further students’ understanding of the law, court procedures and the legal system; improve proficiency in basic life skills, such as listening, speaking, reading and reasoning; promote better communication and cooperation among the school community, teachers and students and members of the legal profession, and heighten appreciation for academic studies and stimulate interest in law-related careers.
The 2026 Mock Trial case is a criminal case entitled People vs. A. Carmen & Carson Blocker. In this hands-on competition, the teams argue both sides of the case and assume the roles of attorneys and witnesses. Each team competes to earn points based on its presentation and legal skills. “Judges,” usually local judges and attorneys who volunteer their time, score the teams based on ratings on preparation, performance, and professionalism. While the Mock Trial program is set up as a “competition,” emphasis is placed on the educational aspect of the experience, which focuses on the preparation and presentation of a hypothetical courtroom trial that involves critical issues that are important and interesting to young people.
The schools who took part in the 2026 High School Mock Trial competition were Bay Shore, Babylon, Brentwood, Central Islip, Commack, Copiague, Comsewogue, Connetquot, Deer Park, East Hampton, East Islip, Eastport-South Manor, John H. Glenn, Half Hollow Hills East, Half Hollow Hills West, Hampton Bays, Harborfields, Huntington, Kings Park, Lindenhurst, Mattituck, Miller Place, Newfield, Northport, Patchogue-Medford, Shoreham-Wading River, St. Anthony’s, St. John the Baptist, Southampton, The Stony Brook School, Ward Melville, and West Islip.