Moot Court at CSULB

Director: Professor Lewis S. Ringel

Graduate Assistants: Scott Godfrey; Amy Fernandez

What is Moot Court

Moot court is the simulation of appellate argument.  Two-person legal teams compete in front of a panel of judges.  Students argue a hypothetical legal case known as “the competition case.”  To do so, students must research the cases and laws cited in “the competition case.”  Moot court judges ask students questions and grade the students on the basis of their knowledge of the case, their response to questioning, their forensic skills, and their demeanor.  Oral argument lasts 40 minutes (each side gets 20 minutes) and each student is expected to speak for a minimum of 7 minutes. 

Why Take Moot Court

I t is fun and rewarding.  It is challenging.  It is good experience for law school and a legal career.  It will teach you how to think, speak, and write in a clearer and more precise manner.  You will learn valuable research skills.  You will improve your logical and critical thinking skills.  You will meet and network with a variety of important people in the legal, academic, and political community.

Who Judges Moot Court

Moot court judges can be most anyone who is familiar with the record and the law or the legal system. Judges at the 2006 Western Regional included several California Superior Court Judges, an administrative law judge, a law school dean, several CSULB faculty, members of the California Bar, a lawyer specializing in customs law, two senatorial aides, a political consultant who specializes in public affairs work, a writer, graduate students, and numerous former law school and undergraduate mooters. Judges at the national tournament included former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, several Virginia judges, law school deans, law school faculty, members of the Virginia Bar, and law students. The only restriction is that judges cannot be undergraduates.

If you, or someone you know, might be interested in judging at future tournaments please contact Professor Ringel

The History of Moot Court at CSULB

If you're interested in where CSULB has been, check out this history.

If you're interested in the history of the Western Regional at CSULB, you'll find it here.

Photos from the 2008 National Moot Court competition.

For recent newspaper coverage of the program, go to:

Daily 49er

Read What Former Moot Court Students Say About Moot Court

Requirements

IMPORTANT: Participation in the CSULB program is by permission of the instructor, Dr. Ringel. Students who wish to participate in the political science department's moot court program need to apply. If accepted they need to enroll in:

417. Legal Practices: Moot Court (3)
Prerequisites: Completion of either: POSC 311 or 312, AND one of: POSC 318, 412, or 414; and upper division standing. Study and acquisition of the skills of lawyering, including legal research, reasoning, writing, and trial advocacy. Substantive study of civil liberties.

Enrollment in this course is by instructor permission only. Please contact Professor Ringel at lringel@csulb.edu for further information. His office is SPA 336. Phone: 562-985-4708.

POSC 417 is a demanding and rigorous course. Students should anticipate a challenging but exciting and extremely worthwhile experience. Contact Professor Ringel to see his latest syllabus or click here.

Here's the 2008-09 ACMA Moot Court problem.

Links to Moot Court in the U.S.

American Collegiate Moot Court Association

See the CSULB team with former Attorney General of the U.S. John Ashcroft.

Western Regional Tournament. Here's the application for the December 2008 tournament.

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Thanks to everyone who has supported and continues to support our Moot Court program, especially the CSULB 49er Shops, Lanahan Publishing, Prentice-Hall and McGraw-Hill. Thanks too to Scott Allen and the Hauth Center.