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The Sherman Minton Moot Court Competition is a student-run program in written and appellate oral advocacy. More ยป
Students with a special interest in litigation are encouraged to participate in our competitions. Litigation refers to the resolution of legal disputes through the court system. It encompasses everything from traffic court and small claims to murder trials, class-action suits, and Supreme Court cases.
Litigators must be competent in three areas:
The first year of law school gives students preliminary exposure to all aspects of litigation except trial practice. Students are introduced to the substantive areas of law common to litigation (contracts, torts, property, criminal and constitutional law) and to pretrial civil litigation procedure. In the Research and Writing program, students are introduced to trial procedure and to written and oral advocacy. Anyone interested in litigation should continue to take courses and pursue co-curricular offerings in those areas. See the Guide to Litigation-Related Courses.
At the heart of the second- and third-year litigation curriculum are four courses and two co-curricular programs.
Several competitions throughout the year
3Ls who have completed required prerequisites are selected based on their performance in Indiana Law’s trial tournament.
Students who participate in the Trial Competition Team take part in several competitions that vary based on the interests of participating students. The primary competition is sponsored by the American Association for Justice (AAJ).
Early spring semester at Indiana Law
Open to all 2L and 3L law students
Students try a case in teams of two against two representing either the plaintiff or the defendant. Each student will conduct an opening statement, a closing argument, a direct examination, and a cross-examination. The four top-scoring students in each category (16 total students) will compete in a single elimination playoff tournament, seeded according to first-round scores.
Vary by semester; regular class meetings and assigments required
Must be a 2L (or 3L who has not previously competed)
The student-run Sherman Minton Moot Court Competition gives students the opportunity to enhance skills in argument, legal representation, and jurisprudence by researching and writing an appellate brief and engaging in oral arguments. Indiana Law alumni and other legal practitioners and judges from around the country serve as competition judges.
Each year the law school sponsors a team to compete in the International Law Students Association’s Philip C Jessup International Moot Court Competition. Approximately 1,500 students from more than 300 law schools in almost 50 nations participate in the Jessup Moot Court Competition every year. It is the largest and most prestigious international law moot court competition in the world. The International Law Society works with the Jessup advisor at Indiana Law for this competition.
Each year the law school sponsors a team to compete in the National Environmental LawMoot Court Competition sponsored by Pace Law School in New York. Three adverse teams argue the issues, reflecting the fact that environmental litigation frequently involves multiple parties—the government, a public interest group, and a member of the regulated industry. The Environmental Law Society manages this competition. Interested students should contact the ELS president at Indiana Law.
Indiana Law students are also encouraged to take part in competitions that are external to the school. Many of our students have participated in the following writing competitions:
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