The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Statewide High School Mock Trial Competition will be held virtually this year, with 233 teams from 199 high schools across Pennsylvania set to compete in the district and regional levels.

Sponsored by the PBA Young Lawyers Division, Pennsylvania's mock trial program is now in its 38th year and is one of the largest in the nation.

During the competition, eight-member student teams are given the opportunity to argue both sides of the case before a judge. The students, who play the roles of lawyers, witnesses, plaintiffs, and defendants, are assisted by teacher coaches and lawyer advisers in preparing for competition. Lawyers and community leaders serve as jurors and sometimes judges for the mock trials. The juries determine the winners in each trial based on the teams' abilities to prepare their cases, present arguments, and follow court rules.

The district and regional levels of the competition will continue throughout February and March. At the conclusion of the local competitions, 16 high school mock trial teams will advance to the PBA Statewide Mock Trial Championships, which will take place on Friday, March 26, and Saturday, March 27. The winning team of the state championship will represent Pennsylvania in the national mock trial finals to be held virtually from Thursday, May 13, through Saturday, May 15.

This year's hypothetical case, Estate of George Romero v. Ashley Williams, is a criminal trial to determine whether the defendant is guilty of murdering George Romero with a chemical the defendant prepared. For more information and to read this year's case, readers may visit http://www.pabar.org and click on "2021 PBA Statewide Mock Trial Competition turns virtual." Interested volunteers may contact Maria Engles at 800-932-0311, ext. 2223.