The Spire

Owen Garvey ’27

News Editor

As one of the foremost trial teams on campus, Moot Court aims to “simulate appellate arguing in front of a mock Supreme Court,” in the words of Catherine Yackira ‘24. Each year, the American Moot Court Association releases a mock Supreme Court Case based on fundamental legal theory and precedent. The question this year revolves around access to contraceptives and its respective implications from the 1st and 14th Amendments.

     Moot Court members prepare 10-minute speeches for both sides of the argument and present before judges. Participants must memorize both arguments and understand the case contents, as the judges could ask any questions throughout the speech. As new members put it, “The most challenging thing for us to get used to is stopping our speeches and directly answering the panel’s questions.”

     The competitions are organized so two members of each side of the case, the petitioner and the respondent, speak on behalf of their designated amendment issue. Once the 40-minute round is over, the judges score the counselors based on presentation, content, case citings, and other essential factors of speech. 

     Yackira, captain of the 14th Amendment issue, says, “Two times a week for two hours, we practice running our arguments, and coaches and other members pose hypotheticals, challenge points, and press hard on issues so that we can perfect our arguments. No round is the same, and members learn how to think on their feet to adapt and solve problems as they come.” Adds Yackira, “Moot Court has helped me hone my rhetoric and presentation style and made me feel much more confident in public speaking. It has also made me learn the importance of close reading and how single words can change meanings, and when you’re trying to craft arguments on both sides of an issue using the same cases, every word matters.”

     Yackira goes on to say, “Moot Court is where I’ve met my closest friends in college. You really form a connection with everyone on the team that will last your four years and beyond. No matter how busy our moot alumni are, they always come back to help work through arguments and prep for competitions. In fact, all of our coaches have been alumni themselves.”

     Moot Court is among the many clubs that allow individuals to hone their soft skills while also making friendships and connections that will last a lifetime. Moot Court’s final regional was last weekend at Holy Cross. The moot court members were hard at work, and all 5 teams made it to the second round, with Yackira and Brendan King ‘25 making it to the finals and receiving second place. To join, reach out via email and prepare for next year’s case.

Featured Moot Court Group Photo courtesy of College of the Holy Cross.