Lewiston High School and Hampden Academy will compete in the semifinals of the Maine State High School Mock Trial Competitions next week.

An academic competition in which teams prepare and try a case under simulated courtroom conditions, mock trials teach students about the legal system, the judicial process and critical thinking.

This year, they will try a fictional case that centers on a conflict between fishermen and development. Team members will fill the roles of plaintiff lawyers, defense lawyers and witnesses. The trials are unscripted.

The semi-finals will be held at noon on Monday in Penobscot County Superior Court in Bangor. Retired U.S. Magistrate Judge Eugene Beaulieu will preside. Brett D. Baber and Dawn Pelletier will serve as evaluators.

The winner of this round will compete in a state championship trial Dec. 16 in Portland.