Below is a summary of the information session for the Harlan Fiske Stone Competition of the Paul Weiss Moot Court Program:
Structure
- The competition is a three round appellate advocacy competition.
- The record contains two issues. Each student will have a partner and each will brief and argue one side of one issue.
- Each team will participate in two oral arguments during the Qualifying Round. You will submit one brief containing the argument sections for both of your issues.
- Any 2L, 3L, or LLM may participate (unless you competed in the Stone Finals in a previous year).
- Although you will have a partner, you are scored separately -- you advance to the next round based on your scores as an individual, not as a team.
- You will be scored on both your brief and oral arguments. Each of your judges will assign you a score for your brief and for your oral argument.
- The eight participants who have the highest scores on Issue One will advance to the Semifinal Round; the eight participants who have the highest scores on Issue Two will also advance to the Semifinal Round.
- The Qualifying and Semifinal Round arguments will take place before a panel of three judges (alumni); the Final Round argument will take place before Justice Elena Kagan, Judge David S. Tatel (DC Cir.), Judge Carlos F. Lucero (10th Cir.), and Judge Raymond J. Lohier, Jr. (2nd Cir.).
Dates and Logistics
- Once the record is released, students may enter the competition by emailing clsstonemootcourt@gmail.com and may request to be paired with a specific student.
- Any person who withdraws from the competition shall receive a notation to that effect on his or her transcript.
- Minor writing credit is available.
Rules
- The formal rules will be released along with the record. To see last year's rules, visit http://clsstonemootcourt.blogspot.com/p/2012-2013-rules-of-competition.html.
Topic
- The topic for this year's competition is 28 U.S.C. Chapter 178 - Professional And Amateur Sports Protection Act ("PASPA"), available at: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/28/part-VI/chapter-178
