Finalists for the 2014 George C. Baker Cup competition argued in front of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals after the original court date was canceled due to a winter storm earlier this year. Second-year law student Marissa Grace won the competition, with second-year Jeremy Hylton as the runner-up. The Best Brief and Best Oral Advocate awards were won by second-year Andrew C. Robey.
Competition winner Marissa Grace is from Williamson, W.Va. A WVU graduate with a B.A. in Political Science, she became a WVU Law student because of the college’s dedication to energy law.
“Having the opportunity to actually stand in front of the West Virginia Supreme Court and present an argument to the Justices that are helping to shape the legal landscape of West Virginia is something I will never forget,” said Grace.
Upon graduating, Grace hopes to work in the energy law field.
This year’s competition topic examined the problem of whether or not a judge is constitutionally required to provide a definition of reasonable doubt and, if so, what that definition is. The justices ruled on the appellate advocacy skills of the two students. Since 1982, the competition has been open to all second-year students, who must write an appellate brief and present oral arguments on both sides of the issue.
