The team from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts from Dallas won the 47th annual Texas High School Mock Trial Competition on March 7 at the George Allen Courthouse in Dallas.
Booker T. Washington’s team will represent Texas at the 2026 National High School Mock Trial Competition in Des Moines, Iowa, May 7-9, 2026.
The competition included more than 25 high school teams from across the state to argue a hypothetical civil court case written by local attorneys with the Dallas Bar Association. These teams, which emerged as the best among their school districts and regions, were matched against one another, culminating in the final championship round. Judges and attorneys served as “jurors” and selected the teams that were best prepared and demonstrated exceptional presentation skills. Students portrayed prosecution and defense attorneys, as well as “witnesses.” The “case” is tried by students from approximately 170 Texas schools annually, according to a press release.
Uplift North Hills Preparatory in Irving placed second in the competition, and El Paso High School and Talkington School for Young Women Leaders in Lubbock tied for third place. In addition, Reese Elder, of Booker T. Washington High School, received the 2026 Outstanding Advocate Award; Price Jenkins, of Providence Classical School in Spring, received the 2026 Outstanding Witness Award; and Ainslie Ely, of Plano West Senior High School, received first place in the 2026 Courtroom Artists competition, according to a press release. Ely will also compete in the national competition in Des Moines.
For more information about the High School Mock Trial Competition, go to texashighschoolmocktrial.com.
PHOTO: Members of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts’ first-place team pose with the High School Mock Trial Competition championship plaque. Photo courtesy of the Dallas Bar Association.