Moot Court
What is Moot Court?
Moot Court encourages the development of skills in brief writing and oral advocacy and recognizes those students who excel in developing these skills, ending in an appellate-level legal argument made before a panel of judges. No member of the Moot Court Board may be a member of Law Review. The skills that you learn in your Legal Research, Reasoning, and Writing classes will be the exact same ones that you will employ as a Moot Court justice. Moot Court prepares you for the legal world.
To participate in Moot Court, you must take Appellate Advocacy in the fall semester of your second year. Eighteen students are accepted into the organization based on their brief and oral argument scores from the fall semester Appellate Advocacy class. All students accepted must compete in the Baker Cup intramural competition in the spring semester. The remaining two positions are filled by the “write-on”? competition during the Baker Cup. All second year students who have passed Appellate Advocacy in the Fall or are currently taking Appellate Advocacy in the Spring are eligible to participate in the Baker Cup. “Write-on” students have a long history of success in the Baker Cup.
In the Baker Cup competition each student is given approximately one month to research the issues given and submit an appellate brief. Once briefs are served, three preliminary rounds of oral arguments are scheduled. Students advance into the later rounds based on a combination of their brief and oral scores. The final six justices who make the semi-finals are accepted on to the National Team and have the privilege of participating in one of the most prestigious advocacy competitions in the United States: the National Moot Court Competition. At the conclusion of the Baker Cup, awards are given for the Best Oralist and Best Brief. Furthermore, the two student advocates in the Final Round have the rare opportunity to argue in front of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. The finalists receive an award and a cash prize for their outstanding achievement. The W.Va. Supreme Court determines the winner of the Baker Cup.
All other Moot Court members will represent West Virginia University College of Law in national competitions during their third year. Moot Court Traveling Team members travel to competitions in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, Fort Lauderdale during the spring, Boston, New York, and Canada, among other locations. Successful tenure on Moot Court earns 3 hours of credit during your final year.
Why is Moot Court Important?
Written and oral advocacy are two basic skills required of any attorney, irrespective of the area of law practiced. Even attorneys who never appear before a court must explain legal principles, answer legal questions, and persuade clients to pursue a proper course of action. Moot Court develops these legal skills through first-hand experience. Confidence is gained as you receive feedback on oral argument style and presentation techniques from practicing attorneys and sitting judges. Your appreciation of the effort, time, and preparation that is required to be a competent attorney is immeasurable. If practicing law in a courtroom is your goal, Moot Court will set you up to be successful!