Top Row: Ryan O’Malley and Melissa Warner – Ladera Ranch Middle School
Bottom Row: JD Cavalluzzi and Mia Demonte – Tuffree Middle School

On April 29th, CRF-OC piloted its Middle School Moot Court program. Sixteen students from Ethel Dwyer (Huntington Beach), Ladera Ranch, Sierra Vista (Covina), and Tuffree (Placentia), participated in this program virtually through Zoom. The students, paired in teams, presented arguments on the issue of whether a fictional boardgame company,  by selling an educational boardgame called Fort-Night, had infringed the trademark of Epic Games, the creator of the popular video game Fortnite. The arguments were heard by the Hon. Shashi Kewalramani, Hon. Douglas McCormick, Hon. Karen Scott, and the Hon. Autumn Spaeth, all magistrate judges in the Central District of California. Melissa Warner and Ryan O’Malley from Ladera Ranch Middle School won first place, and Mia Demonte and JD Cavalluzzi from Tuffree Middle School came in second. Congratulations to all participants and thank you to our Moot Court Committee members, sponsors, and volunteers who made this program possible! If you are interested in participating in next year’s Middle School Moot Court program, please contact Program Director Theresa Bernard at [email protected].