2026 CNMI High School Mock Trial Competition Reset to March 5-6, 2026

The U.S. District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, in partnership with the NMI Bar Association, will host the 26th Annual CNMI High School Mock Trial Competition on March 5-6, 2026, at the United States Courthouse in Gualo Rai. Seven high schools from Saipan, Tinian, and Rota will compete for the honor of representing the Commonwealth at the National High School Mock Trial Championship in Des Moines, Iowa, in May 2026.

The competition offers an opportunity for students to step into the roles of attorneys and witnesses, experience the process of preparing for trial in a fictious case, and present their best case to members of the legal community in a real courtroom setting. The students gain exposure to trial procedure, rules of evidence, and the exciting challenges of advocacy. This year’s competition will mark another chapter in a longstanding tradition of the judiciary, educators, and members of the legal profession in promoting civic education and experiential learning for students. The CNMI Judiciary hosted the first competition in 1999 and continuously sponsored it through 2025, with the exception of two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. For nearly three decades, the competition has introduced hundreds of students to the justice system.

This year’s case, Cruz v. Vic’s Vâporium, centers on a lawsuit filed by parents of a high school sophomore who died after using an e-cigarette. The parents allege that a local smoke shop unlawfully sold e-cigarette products to their son, raising issues of liability and underage access to vaping products. Competition materials, including the case packet, competition rules, and schedule, can be found [HERE].

This year’s competition was originally scheduled to take place on February 5-6, 2026. Although preparations for the competition were nearly complete, recent developments at the national level caused the U.S. District Court to postpone the competition by a month. Current law funds the federal government, including the federal judiciary, only through January 30, 2026. Last week, it was expected that Congress would reach an agreement on funding the federal judiciary in advance of that date. However, events over the last few days have raised serious doubts as to whether such legislation will be enacted before funding runs out. Current guidance from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts advises that if no new funding bill is passed, the federal judiciary’s supplemental funding will not last beyond February 4, 2026. Without funding, the U.S. District Court is bound by federal law to not incur new expenses for non-essential activities. Unfortunately, as the competition does not qualify as an essential activity, the U.S. District Court would be unable to hold the competition on February 5-6. While there is always the possibility that funding legislation may be passed before the original competition dates, at this juncture, postponement is necessary and appropriate to give certainty to—and minimize the disruption to the expectations, schedules, and resources of—all involved in the competition. The seven participating teams were notified by letter dated January 28, 2026.

The U.S. District Court extends its best wishes to all participating students and thanks all teachers, attorney-coaches, volunteers, and partners for their flexibility and continued commitment to the competition and the students’ experience. The U.S District Court looks forward to hosting the competition on March 5-6, 2026, and invites the community to attend the awards ceremony at the United States Courthouse on Friday, March 6, at 11:00 a.m., where outstanding performances and the Commonwealth’s representative to the national championship will be announced.