The Illinois State Bar Association High School Mock Trial Invitational is a high school mock trial tournament that has been held every year since 1983. The event is administered by the Illinois State Bar Association. The winning team represents the state of Illinois at the National High School Mock Trial Championship. Originally held in Springfield, Illinois, the invitational moved to
Champaign, Illinois in 2013, before moving back to Springfield for the 2019 and subsequent competitions.
Format
Each school must submit a roster of no more than ten members. The tournament consists of two preliminary rounds, with each school having a chance to represent both the plaintiff/prosecution and defense. After the first two rounds, the 8 (10, beginning in 2025) highest scoring teams advance to a final round. The team with the highest point total following the final round wins the competition. At the end of the competition, several students are awarded outstanding attorney and outstanding witness awards, and the top three placing teams are announced. ISBA also releases the top 20 teams after the tournament.
Past Champions
The following is a list of invitational champions: 2026: Normal Community West High School 2025: College Preparatory School of America (CPSA) 2024: College Preparatory School of America (CPSA) 2023: Maine South High School 2022: Timothy Christian School 2021: Evanston Township High School. 2020: No contest held. Covid Pandemic Shutdown. 2019: York Community High School 2018: St. Charles North High School 2017: St. Charles North High School 2016: Timothy Christian School (Illinois) 2015: Hinsdale Central High School 2014: St. Charles North High School. 2013: Hinsdale Central High School 2012: Hinsdale Central High School 2011: Glenwood High School (Illinois) 2010: Hinsdale Central High School 2009: Hinsdale Central High School 2008: Highland Park High School (Highland Park, Illinois) 2007: Glenbard East High School 2006: Timothy Christian School (Illinois) 2005: Hinsdale Central High School 2004: Timothy Christian School (Illinois) 2003: Timothy Christian School (Illinois) 2002: Timothy Christian School (Illinois) 2001: Boylan Catholic High School 2000: Timothy Christian School (Illinois) 1999: Boylan Catholic High School 1998: Timothy Christian School (Illinois) 1997: Glenbard South High School 1996: Hinsdale Central High School 1995: Mt. Vernon Township High School (Illinois) 1994: Hinsdale Central High School 1993: Glenbard South High School 1992: Glenbard South High School 1991: Hinsdale Central High School 1990: Hinsdale Central High School 1989: St. Charles East High School 1988: Hinsdale Central High School 1987: Marian Central Catholic High School 1986: Glenbard South High School 1985: Glenbard South High School 1983–84: No winners announced.
Results By School
The following schools have placed in the top 3 at least once: School 1st place Finishes 2nd place Finishes 3rd place Finishes Total Hinsdale Central High School 11 7 4 22 Timothy Christian School (Illinois) 7 8 4 19 Glenbard South High School 5 6 4 15 Boylan Catholic High School 2 2 5 9 St. Charles North High School 3 3 1 7 York Community High School 1 2 2 5 College Preparatory School of America (Lombard, Illinois) 2 1 1 4 St. Charles East High School 1 1 2 4 Glenbard East High School 1 2 1 4 Evanston Township High School 1 1 1 3Normal Community West High School1113Maine South High School1012 Glenwood High School (Illinois) 1 1 0 2 Highland Park High School (Highland Park, Illinois) 1 0 0 1Evanston Township High School1102 Marian Central Catholic High School 1 0 0 1 Mt. Vernon Township High School (Illinois) 1 0 0 1 Chicago Christian High School 0 0 4 4 Oak Park and River Forest High School 0 1 2 3Niles West High School0112 Kenwood Academy 0 1 1 2Adlai Stevenson High School0112Niles West High School0112 Freeport High School (Illinois) 0 1 0 1 Hirsch Metropolitan High School 0 1 0 1 Mundelein High School 0 1 0 1 Wells High School 0 1 0 1 Larkin High School 0 0 3 3 Lincoln Park High School (Chicago) 0 0 1 1 State Finalists each year (only top 3 in order): +2026 State Finalists2025 State Finalists (moved to top 10)2024 State Finalists2023 State Finalists2022 State Finalists2021 State Finalists2019 State FinalistsNormal Community West High SchoolCollege Preparatory School of America (CPSA)College Preparatory School of America (CPSA)Maine South High SchoolTimothy Christian High SchoolEvanston Township High SchoolYork Community High SchoolTimothy Christian High SchoolTimothy Christian High SchoolAdlai Stevenson High SchoolNormal Community West High SchoolNiles West High SchoolCollege Preparatory School of America (CPSA)Glenbard East High SchoolNiles West High SchoolNormal Community West High SchoolMaine South High SchoolCollege Preparatory School of America (CPSA)Adlai Stevenson High SchoolTimothy Christian High SchoolEvanston Township High SchoolMuslim Community Center Academy (MCC)De La Salle InstituteDe La Salle InstituteBartlett High SchoolBartlett High SchoolNiles North High SchoolHinsdale Central High SchoolEvanston High SchoolWheeling High SchoolWheeling High SchoolSt. Charles North High School Highland Park High SchoolHinsdale Central High SchoolWhitney M. Young Magnet High SchoolWhitney M. Young Magnet High SchoolNaperville North High SchoolSt. Charles East High SchoolYork High SchoolWhitney M. Young Magnet High SchoolAdlai Stevenson High SchoolN/AN/AN/AN/AN/ACollege Preparatory School of America (CPSA)N/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
National Championship
The winner of the ISBA High School Mock Trial Invitational has represented the state at the National High School Mock Trial Championship since its inaugural tournament in 1984. No Illinois team has ever won the tournament, although Hinsdale Central High School finished in 2nd place in 2010. Most recently, Illinois finished 16th at the 2026 National Championship in Des Moines, Iowa.
2026: 16th place in Des Moines, Iowa. Top 10 Outstanding Witness Jordan Stovall.
2025: 13th place in Phoenix, Arizona. Top 10 Outstanding Attorney Samiha Amjad.
2024: 13th place in Wilmington, Delaware. Top 10 Outstanding Witness Ahmed Iqbal.
2023: 17th place in Little Rock, Arkansas. Top 10 Outstanding Witness
2022: 19th place in Kalamazoo, Michigan (Online).
2021: 8th place in Evansville, Indiana (Online).
2019: 13th place in Athens, Georgia.
2018: 27th place in Reno, Nevada.
2017: 34th place in Hartford, Connecticut. Top 10 Outstanding Attorney Ryan Wolak.
2016: 26th place in Boise, Idaho.
2015: 19th place in Raleigh, North Carolina. Top 10 Outstanding Attorney Award James Walker & Top 10 Outstanding Witness Award Katherine Rodgers.
2014: 10th place in Madison, Wisconsin.
2013: 5th place in Indianapolis, Indiana.
2012: 9th place in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
2011: 12th place in Phoenix, Arizona.
2010: 2nd place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Carl Oxholm III Award Vinay Nayak.
References