Supreme Court Institute
The centerpiece of the Supreme Court Institute (SCI) is the Supreme Court Moot Court Program, which taps into the expertise of faculty and outside practitioners to prepare counsel for oral argument before the Court.
SCI offers its moot courts as a public service, at no charge and irrespective of the positions taken by counsel, reflecting a core commitment to the quality of Supreme Court advocacy in all cases.
In recent years, SCI has advanced that goal by conducting moot courts for advocates in nearly every case on the Court’s argument docket. In the most recently completed Term (October Term 2023), SCI provided a moot court for counsel in every case on the Court’s merits docket.
Other SCI activities include annual briefings for the press and students to preview the upcoming Supreme Court Term, and panel discussions of some of the most significant cases pending at theĀ Court.
Many of our programs, including most moot courts, are open to students and provide a unique opportunity to explore the nuances of Supreme Court advocacy and the decision-making process.
Faculty members are welcome to coordinate with SCI to include moot courts as part of course curricula, and students enrolled in seminars on Supreme Court advocacy attend several moots during these semester-long courses.