As the school year begins for SMU in the fall of 2015, SMU’s first Moot Court team takes shape as well.
Moot Court, a club that is similar, yet not the same as Mock Trial, has begun to start recruiting, practicing and planning for their debut season. Members aim to represent SMU in competitions on both the state and national levels.
In Moot Court, two person teams simulate arguments at the appellate court level and debate constitutional issues in front of a panel of three judges. SMU is among about forty other schools and universities that compete at the national level, each having three to eight teams representing their respective institutions.
While Mock Trial replicates trails at the court level dealing with civil and penal issues with classing opening an closing arguments in front of a jury, Moot Court “replicates at the next level of appeal court” and is “centered on legal arguments and factual arguments with witnesses,” said Zack Leitzel, the founder and president of SMU’s Moot Court team.
Haley High, president of SMU’s Mock Trial team also describes these differences.
“Mock trail has witnesses, props, and costumes, and the trials can be funny and dramatic, but in Moot Court, there are no witnesses, you compete against a pair of people, and the replications are more argument-based and more serious,” High said.
According to Leiztel, now a sophomore, his desire to start a Moot Court team started his freshman year.
“Freshman year, I went through the red tape to get it started,” Leiztel said. “We have always hosted Moot Court competitions here at SMU, but we have never had a team to represent us at our own tournaments.”
The desire to get involved in Moot Court certainly exists on the SMU campus. SMU now has two teams of two to represent at competitions, and the team is looking for other students who want to get involved.
“It is really open,” Leitzel said. “There is no tryout process this year, and if you are interested, show up. It can be as much or as little as you want it to be. We are trying to lay a foundation to make this a long lasting organization.”
Not only has Moot Court at SMU begun in the last year, but the team is working with SMU’s law school and law students who coach the team. By working with law students and coaches, students have the ability to learn how to enhance their skills when it comes to thinking critically and arguing in front of a group of people on a specific topic. This experience also helps prepare students for law school or other political science-related job opportunities.
“If you are at all interested in law, debate, writing arguments, or working on your public speaking and critical thinking skills,” Leitzel said, “then Moot Court is a fantastic activity to join.”
Competitions for Moot Court will be taking place both in Texas and all over the United States, some at Rice, A&M, and SMU, while others are in California and New York.
The season begins in late September and ends in early November. The SMU team meets for one hour a week for practice, which also involves practicing alone. To learn more, e-mail [email protected].
