Student Competitions: National Moot Court Competition
One of the most prestigious competitions in the nation, the National Moot Court Competition, requires students to prepare to deliver an argument before the United States Supreme Court. Topics are based on recent cases in which the Court has actually granted certiorari. Winners of the regional rounds advance to the national rounds. Among recent topics: whether a person's Fourth Amendment right is violated when police officers stop an individual based on an anonymous tip regarding DWI without the officers observing such driving and then subsequently finding a loaded gun in the vehicle; and an Eighth Amendment challenge to whether a certain state's Three-Strikes Law is cruel and unusual punishment. This year's problem deals with the issue of whether a State's gun control law, which forbade all individuals except law enforcement official from owning or possessing handguns, violates the 2nd Amendment of the United States' Constitution.
Loyola's two teams, Kyle Stone, Matt Mackenzie & brief-writer Jared Hasten and Joy Park, Laura Mallory & brief-writer Peter Senechalle competed at the Regional Competition in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on November 10 and 11, 2007. Matt and Kyle broke to quarters, but lost in their third round to the second place team from Kent Law School. Laura Mallory and Joy Park won first place at the competition. Additionally, Peter's brief was awarded "Best Brief." As a result, Laura, Joy and Peter advanced to the National competition held in New York in January.
On January 30-February 1, 2008, Laura, Joy and Peter competed at the National Moot Court competition. Laura and Joy made it to the quarterfinal round, finishing in the top 8 out of 28 teams. Peter's brief was awarded 11th place out of 28 teams. Loyola has a strong history of finishing in the top 16 teams. However, it was quite a great accomplishment for this year’s team to have finished in the top 8 in the nation!
2008-2009 National Moot Court Team
(from left to right) Jim Schiff, Meredith Nelson, Joshua Muench, Sara Eber, Mike Baniak, Ann Fenton
