After a promising young actress completes her final performance of the Shakespeare-adaption “Macbeth at Sea” on a cruise ship, she finds herself accused of assaulting a fellow actor and of stealing a ring said to have been owned by William Shakespeare.
Authorities arrested Jordan Franks and charged her with robbery and battery.
That’s the outline of the fictional case of People vs. Franks, part of the annual Orange County Mock Trial Competition hosted by the Constitutional Rights Foundation. This year’s finalists were the Orange County School of the Arts and El Dorado High School, and they went to trail this week at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana to decide which team would represent the county in the upcoming state completion.
The nonprofit Constitutional Rights Foundation has sponsored high school mock trials in Orange County since 1981. Working under the guidance of volunteer attorney coaches and teachers, the student teams face off as either the prosecution or the defense, preparing for a realistic courtroom case and presenting before a judge in real courtrooms.
Orange County School of the Art’s Emma Kay, left, and Emily Kim are overcome with emotion after learning their team were the winners over El Dorado in the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. OCSA will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Presiding judge Hon. Nancy Zeltzer, Ret., right, listens as El Dorado’s Kaylyn Oh raises an objection during the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. At the conclusion of the mock trial the team from the Orange County School of the Arts won the competition and will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Defense witness, El Dorado’s Cami Lung playing the part of actress Karter Lucky, is questioned by the prosecution’s Toby Izenberg of OCSA during the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Orange County School of the Arts won the competition and will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
El Dorado’s Kaylyn Oh, right, points to an evidence chart as she questions OCSA’s Caitlin Kim, playing the part of witness Billie Scher, during the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Orange County School of the Arts won the competition and will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Toby Izenberg of OCSA questions a witness for the precaution during the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. The team from the Orange County School of the Arts won the competition, defeating El Dorado. OCSA will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
El Dorado’s Kaser Chowdhary cross-examines a witness during the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. The team from the Orange County School of the Arts won the competition, defeating El Dorado. OCSA will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Emily Kim of OCSA cross-examines a witness during the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. The Orange County School of the Arts won the competition and will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Defense witness, El Dorado’s Jackson Steuber, playing the part of a jewelry expert Jade Marquez, gets into character as he answers a question from judge Nancy Zeltzer during the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. The team from the Orange County School of the Arts won the competition and will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
El Dorado’s Kaylyn Oh of the defense listens to OCSA’s prosecution questions during the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Orange County School of the Arts won the competition and will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
El Dorado’s Joelle Wong questions a witness during the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. The team from the Orange County School of the Arts won the competition and will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
during the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. The team from the Orange County School of the Arts won the competition, defeating El Dorado. OCSA will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A tearful Emma Kay, left, embraces OCSA teammate Regan Mading after winning against El Dorado in the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. OCSA will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The defense team, of El Dorado and the prosecution team from OCSA sit at the table during the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Pictured, from left, are El Dorado’s Lucy Cavalluzzi, playing the part of the defendant Jordon Parks, the defense attorneys, Kaser Chowdhary, Joelle Wong, and Kaylyn Oh and for the prosecution OCSA’s Toby Izenberg, Emma Kay, and Emily Kim. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The transcribed testimony of OCSA’s Caitlin Kim, top, playing the part of prosecution witness,Billie Scher, appears on the judge’s computer screen during the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. The team from the Orange County School of the Arts won the competition and will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
El Dorado’s Lucy Cavalluzzi, left, playing the part of the defendant Jordon Parks listens to testimony during the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. The team from the Orange County School of the Arts won the competition and will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The presiding judge, Hon. Nancy Zeltzer, Ret., listens to objections raised by the defense during the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. The team from the Orange County School of the Arts won the competition, defeating El Dorado. OCSA will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
during the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. The team from the Orange County School of the Arts won the competition, defeating El Dorado. OCSA will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
El Dorado’s Nathan Lee, left, delivers the pre-trial motion for the defense as OCSA’s Regan Mading, takes notes, during the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. The team from the Orange County School of the Arts won the competition and will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Regan Mading of Orange County School of the Arts delivers the pretrial motion for the prosecution during the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. OCSA won the competition against El Dorado and will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The team from El Dorado join hands as they anxiously wait for the announcement of which school, El Dorado or OCSA, won the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Pictured from left, Lucy Cavalluzzi, Kaser Chowdhary, Joelle Wong, and Kaylyn Oh. OCSA won the completion. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
El Dorado’s Kaylyn Oh, left, is congratulates Toby Izenberg of OCSA after his team won the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Orange County School of the Arts will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Overcome with emotion Emily Kim of OCSA gets an embrace after OCSA won against El Dorado in the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. OCSA will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Parents from Orange County School of the Arts take cell phone photos of the winning OCSA team after winning against El Dorado in the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. OCSA will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The entire Orange County School of the Arts team, students, teacher and attorney advisors, pose photo a photo after winning against El Dorado in the finals of the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. OCSA will now represent Orange County at the state finals in March. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The team from Orange County School of the Arts celebrates after winning the final against El Dorado in the Orange County mock trial competition by the Constitutional Rights Foundation at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. Pictured, from left, Melody Wu, Toby Izenberg, Emma Kay, and Emily Kim. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Approximately 900 Orange County students participated in this year’s competitions.
Advancing through the rounds since November, the teams from El Dorado and OCSA reached the final trial before retired Judge Nancy Zeltzer. El Dorado represented the defense and OCSA the prosecution.
Each team presented their pretrial motions, opening statements, evidence and questioned seven witnesses and then made their closing statements. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer was among the volunteers scoring the final competition.
When the moment of truth came, Judge Zeltzer read the jury’s decision from a slip of paper, announcing the Orange County School of the Arts will be representing the county in March’s state trials.
