EIUPre-Law Program

Moot Court at EIU

The goal is for some Fall 2022 participants in Moot Court to argue as attorneys before a mock Supreme Court at the Windy City Regional Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament at Loyola University Chicago School of Law in November 2022.

Students interested in participating in Fall Moot Court should enroll in PLS 2513. Previous experience is not necessary.

Spring 2023 Mooters will argue as attorneys before a mock Illinois Supreme Court at the Model Illinois Government (MIG) Moot Court Tournament in Springfield in early March 2023. 

Students interested in participating in Spring Moot Court should enroll for PLS 2513. Previous experience is not necessary.

Moot Court can be repeated for credit.

What is Moot Court?

• Moot Court is a course for credit offered through the Political Science Dept. (PLS 2503 and PLS 2513), but it can also be treated as an extra-curricular activity on your resume.
• Moot Court is a simulation of an appellate court proceeding–it is also known as Mock Supreme Court or Supreme Court Simulation. Students act as attorneys and make an argument on behalf of their client. The Supreme Court Justices can and will interrupt the argument with questions.
• An argument round consists of a 20-30 minute argument on behalf of the client who is petitioning the Supreme Court to reverse the decision of the court below (the Petitioner) and an 20 argument on behalf of the client who would like the Supreme Court to uphold the decision of the court below (the Respondent).
• Students work with a partner, and share the argument.
• A Moot Court tournament consists of several rounds. During some rounds, students will represent the Petitioner and during others will represent the Respondent.
• At Moot Court tournaments, students will be judged and questioned by several judges.
• At practice rounds at EIU, students will be judged by the Moot Court facilitator and other Moot Court students. As the Moot Court tournament approaches, local judges, attorneys and professors may also judge.
• Moot Court is part of a national organization, the American Collegiate Moot Court Association; see the ACMA website at http://www.acmamootcourt.org
• Spring semester moot court is sponsored by Model Illinois Government (MIG) in Springfield, Illinois. For more information, consult http://www.modelilgov.org.
• In the United States, moot court is almost universally required in J.D. (Juris Doctorate) law school programs. Over the past decade, a number of undergraduate moot court activities have been developed in American colleges and universities.
• Moot Court is one of two government simulations offered through the Political Science Department at EIU (the other is Model Illinois Government). It reflects the Department's emphasis on providing students with experiential learning opportunities designed to complement and build on knowledge gained in the traditional classroom setting.

How Can Moot Court Benefit You?

• Build skills in speaking, argument, and thinking quickly on your feet. And, importantly, build self-confidence in these skills.
• Learn how to read and analyze Supreme Court cases and congressional statutes.
• Understand better how the Supreme Court functions.
• Better understand current important legal issues: this year's case involves gender discrimination, affirmative action, and retaliatory dismissal from employment. This concerns the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution.
• Travel! (Most costs are covered by the University, although this cannot be guaranteed in the future because the budgetary situation is subject to change.)
• Moot Court looks great on a law school application. You will also have a leg up on fellow law students when it comes time to do Moot Court in law school.
• Develop a relationship with fellow EIU mooters, your moot court partner, and the moot court facilitator (who is also the pre-law advisor).
• If you want more information about taking the Moot Court challenge, contact the Moot Court facilitator, Karen Swenson, at 581-6964 or kbswenson@eiu.edu