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Supreme Court Institute Moot Court Program ruler

Overview
The Moot Court Program is the centerpiece of the Supreme Court Institute's public service activities. These practice sessions allow attorneys to prepare for oral arguments before the Court. The Law Center has become the principal stop of many counsel seeking expert assistance in oral argument preparation prior to appearing before the Court. Nearly all of all cases heard by the Court are mooted at Georgetown before a panel of "Justices" that includes law faculty and experienced Supreme Court advocates. While the Institute is especially interested in providing assistance to those attorneys who will be arguing at the Court for the first time, the Institute has also held moot courts for some of the nation's very best and most experienced Supreme Court advocates. Moots are provided as a public service to counsel at no charge on a non-partisan, first-come, first-serve basis. All moot courts take place in the Supreme Court Institute Moot Courtroom (.pdf), located on the Law Center campus in the Hotung International Building.

FAQs
What is a "moot"?
A "moot" is a practice session in which counsel presents oral argument before a panel of "Justices" in preparation for an appearance before the Supreme Court. The Justices offer critiques of the argument as well as general comments to help maximize counsel's opportunity to present an effective, informative oral argument. The moots are designed not only to aid counsel in further refining their arguments, but also to familiarize counsel with the general proceedings of the Court.

How many moots does the Institute hold each year?
While the number of moots varies from year to year, generally the Institute moots about 90 percent of the cases heard before the Court in a given Term. During the October Term 2007, the Institute provided moot courts in 68 cases, representing 97 percent of the cases heard by the Supreme Court.

When and where do the moots take place?
The moots are generally scheduled for Wednesday (at 10:00 AM or 3:30 PM), Thursday (at 10:00 AM or 3:30 PM) or Friday (at 10:00 AM or 3:00 PM) one week before the actual oral argument is to be heard by the Court. The moots are held at the law school campus in the Institute's moot court room, which is located in Room 2003 of the Hotung International Law Building. Moot sessions typically run between an hour and a half and two hours.

What is the format of a moot?
The moots are roughly divided into two parts. The first part is formal in character and the second part is an informal discussion. We ask both counsel and the Justices to stay in role during the first part of the proceeding, in order to maximize the value of the formal moot. We keep track of the time and notify counsel when time is up, but then allow the formal questioning and answering to proceed until the "Chief Justice" concludes that time would be better spent in the second part of the moot, which is the informal discussion. The formal question/answer session typically last about 45 minutes, but never more than one hour. During the informal discussion that follows, counsel and the Justices have the opportunity to discuss the case, including the relative effectiveness and ineffectiveness of all aspects of counsel's argument. The discussion is simultaneously candid and constructive.

What other activities does the Supreme Court Institute sponsor?
In addition to the Moot Court Program, the Supreme Court Institute offers conferences, lectures, workshops, and informal brown-bag discussions on various Court-related matters. These programs, which include both recent decisions and cases pending before the Court, are broadly designed for members of the bar, law alumni, and the general public. In addition, each fall the Institute sponsors two annual briefings on the Court's upcoming Term, one for the news media and one for law school alumni.

More FAQs for Advocates

More FAQs for Students

More FAQs for Volunteer "Justices"

Contact Information
Supreme Court Institute
Georgetown University Law Center
600 New Jersey Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20001

Phone: (202) 662-9630
supct@law.georgetown.edu

Pamela Harris
Executive Director

Professor Steve Goldblatt and Professor Richard Lazarus
Faculty Directors
Tina Drake Zimmerman
Deputy Director

Last Updated January 12, 2010 (TDZ)