Delaware High School Mock Trial Competition Returns to Wilmington March 6–7

More than 360 students will compete in the 35th annual Delaware High School Mock Trial Competition March 6–7, 2026, at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center in Wilmington. (Photo courtesy of State of Delaware.)

More than 360 students from across Delaware will compete in the 35th annual Delaware High School Mock Trial Competition on Friday, March 6, and Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center in Wilmington.

A total of 361 students, divided into 28 teams from public, charter, private and parochial schools statewide, will participate in the two-day event. Organizers say the number of teams has increased by 10 compared to last year.

Participating schools include Archmere Academy, ASPIRA Charter High School, Cab Calloway School of the Arts, Cape Henlopen High School, Charter School of Wilmington, Concord High School, Howard High School of Technology, Islamic Academy of Delaware, Laurel High School, Middletown High School, Mt. Pleasant High School, Newark Charter School, Padua Academy, Salesianum School, Smyrna High School, St. Mark’s High School, Tatnall School, Tower Hill School, Ursuline Academy, William Penn High School and Wilmington Friends School. A team from Teen Warehouse, part of REACH Riverside in Wilmington, will also compete.

The round-robin style competition is designed to introduce students to the legal system. Teams work with volunteer attorney coaches to prepare a case, learn courtroom procedures and trial rules, and argue both sides of the case in live courtroom settings.

More than 200 members of Delaware’s bench and bar volunteer as coaches and judges. Judges evaluate students on their knowledge of the law and the case, courtroom conduct and advocacy skills. Awards are presented for categories such as best attorney and best witness. Separate competitions are also held for student courtroom sketch artists and court journalists.

This year’s case centers on a fictional criminal matter involving a fire at a movie theater known as the “Reel Deal” in the Brandywine Town Center. While fire investigators determined the blaze was accidental and caused by a popcorn machine, an insurance investigator concluded the fire was deliberately set by the theater owner, who faces arson charges in the mock trial.

Four preliminary rounds will be held, with Rounds 1 and 2 taking place Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Rounds 3 and 4 scheduled for Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The championship round, featuring the top two teams, will begin around 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

The final round will be presided over by U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika. U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride, who competed in mock trial while in high school, will serve on the judging panel.

The winning team will advance to represent Delaware at the National High School Mock Trial Championship, scheduled for May 7–9, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Media planning to attend are asked to RSVP in advance to coordinate courthouse security access and interview opportunities.