Moot Court
Sharpen skills needed for law school in this court simulation course
Moot Court (POLS 3375) is a course at UIW designed to provide a high-impact, applied learning experience for students that focuses on the basics of constructing and delivering appellate arguments. This class, which students have found to be extremely valuable in developing the reading, writing and speaking skills expected of law school students, focuses heavily on one stage of the legal process in the United States: appellate argument at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Over the course of the semester, students learn to read legal opinions, develop case briefing techniques, and structure an argument based on the annual, fictional case created and distributed by the American Moot Court Association (AMCA). Specifically, students research and analyze this fictional case by identifying the legal doctrines relevant to its resolution in established precedents, write and synthesize case briefs to facilitate completion of an original legal argument that follows basic structure and formatting conventions, practice making oral arguments with peers, and become comfortable responding to questioning typical of appellate judges.
National Competition
Each semester culminates with the exciting opportunity for UIW students to travel together and compete against dozens of colleges and universities in regional qualifying tournaments to the AMCA national tournament. Teams of “student counselors” from UIW have consistently delivered competitive performances in various regional tournaments in recent years, and those participating have often established working groups that endure long after the class, often meeting to prepare for other aspects of the law school admission process (i.e. the Law School Admission Test).
For more information about this unique course opportunity, AMCA tournaments, or pre-law more generally, please contact Dr. Brandon Metroka, Associate Professor of Political Science and UIW Pre-Law advisor (metroka@uiwtx.edu).