has come out on top in a month-long battle of teen-age legal minds.
The San Ramon school edged Northgate High of Walnut Creek in the annual Contra Costa Mock Trial competition for high school students.
The winner was announced at a ceremony Thursday night at the Contra Costa Office of Education, the agency that sponsored the competition.
Karen Rice, a spokeswoman for the county education office, said this year's competition was one of the closest contests they've ever had.
Cal High will now travel to Riverside in late March for the state competition.
Cal and Northgate battled in the final round Tuesday night in a Martinez courtroom.
California Court of Appeal Justice Mark Simons presided over the trial that focused on a hypothetical assault case that included a new anti-bullying law.
A half-dozen attorneys and law students sat in the jury box to judge the legal contest.
Cal and Northgate outlasted 11 other high school teams through four weeks of competition.
Each squad had a defense and prosecution team. On Tuesday evening, Northgate's prosecution team battled Cal's defense team.
The two schools' students played the roles of attorneys, witnesses, bailiffs and courtroom staff.
