This research guide provides information on the moot court competitions at BC Law. It also provides guidance on resources available to moot court participants on appellate writing and oral argument. There are also tips for researching the issues involved in a moot court problem, including standards of review, statutory interpretation, and legislative intent. The guide is largely organized by the tasks involved in preparing for and participating in a moot court competition; legal research, writing the brief, and preparation for oral argument. It also includes information and links to the websites, rules and past briefs and oral arguments of the moot court competitions in which BC Law participates.
If you want more information about the moot court process and what is involved in participating in a competition, the following two resources provide a good overview.
Moot court competitions involve researching, writing, and orally arguing a simulated appellate court case. Competitors are provided a record, a hypothetical case with facts and materials from the legal proceedings in the lower court. Competitors will research the issues and draft a persuasive brief, then prepare to argue the case and field questions from the panel of judges. The panel may be made up of sitting judges, practicing lawyers, or legal scholars. Competitors are awarded points based on the briefs and oral argument.
Boston College Law School's intramural moot court competition, The Wendell F. Grimes Moot Court Competition, is open to 2Ls and is held in the Spring Semester. Third year students may participate in the following moot court competitions:
Additional information on each of the moot court competitions, including links to the Official Rules and past years' briefs are included in the boxes below.
