Student Legal Experts Vie in Moot Court Contest
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2001
Joe Wills
530-898-4143
Student Legal Experts Vie in Moot Court Contest
California State University, Chico students compete this week in moot court proceedings, culminating in the finals Friday evening, May 4 at the Chico City Council chambers.
This week 32 teams of students are debating a recent Supreme Court case, with 48 area jurists and legal experts acting as judges. The remaining two teams in the tournament-style event square off in the finals at 6 p.m. Friday, with an awards ceremony to follow.
Political science professor Dane Cameron, moot court adviser, said the public is strongly encouraged to attend Friday night’s final arguments in the Council chambers.
Cameron, who has been advising moot court proceedings at CSU, Chico for 21 years, said moot court is tremendous training for law school-bound students. He said approximately 85 percent of CSU, Chico participants are accepted into the law school of their choice.
“Moot court allows students to interact with people who have the professional training they want to obtain,” Cameron said. “They are debriefed and judged by panels, and in the process they learn a lot and make great connections.”
Cameron said retired jurists and other community members enjoy judging moot court so much that they ask to be selected for judging year after year.
Students practice arguing briefs in Cameron’s “Simulation: Public Law” class, offered each spring. A few years ago, Cameron devoted an entire simulation class to re-trying the O. J. Simpson murder trial.
A number of CSU, Chico graduates have gone on to take part in moot court proceedings in law school, and several have won statewide and national awards, Cameron said.
Cameron is on the board of directors of the National Undergraduate Moot Court Association. While he is on sabbatical next year, Cameron hopes to organize undergraduate intercollegiate moot court contests in California. “Chico should do extremely well when moot court competition takes place among California universities,” Cameron said.
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