Nebraska Judges Assist in Making the 2026 National High School Mock Trial Championship a Success

At the recent National High School Mock Trial Championship, held May 6-9 in Des Moines, Nebraska trial court judges were on hand to serve as presiding judges. Judges Tom Harmon, John Rademacher, and Tanya Roberts-Connick volunteered their time to help judge trials over the course of two days.  Presiding judges keep the trial moving forward as well as evaluating student performances. At nationals, all teams compete in four rounds vying for opportunity to advance to the championship round.  

The National High School Mock Trial Championship represents the culmination of countless hours of preparation from students representing almost every state and Guam and the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands. In Nebraska, approximately 1,000 students compete in the Judge Lyle Strom High School Mock Trial Program and the Mock Trial teams have both a teacher and attorney coach. This educational opportunity offers Nebraska students to learn about the legal system as well as hone their speaking, listening and analytical skills. 

The Nebraska winner, Duchesne Academy, coached by Judge Stefanie Martinez, Mark Laughlin and Rick Jefferies placed 7^th in the nation.

Photo: Judges John Rademacher, Tanya Roberts-Connick, and Tom Harmon at the National High School Mock Trial Championship.