This year, for the first time, UConn students competed in the Eastern Regional Moot Court Tournament at Fitchburg State University. In Moot Court, students compete in teams of two in a mock appellate argument. The competition is organized by the American Collegiate Moot Court Association. Regional competitions are every fall. The top teams from each regional competition advance to the nationals in January.

This year, the arguments involved a complicated 4th Amendment Search & Seizure and an equally complex Article II question on the scope of presidential authority. We competed against teams that had spent 5months working with the problem, many of whom took a specific course on moot court. Our team only had two months of preparation and did not receive course credit. And yet we still ranked in the top half of competition and nearly defeated the top ranked team. While we did not make it to nationals this year, I am excited to see what we can do next year! Congrats to all the students who competed. If you’d like to find out more about Moot Court and how to join the team for next year, contact the Pre-Law Office!