UGA LAW SCHOOL SWEEPS INTRASTATE MOOT COURT TOURNAMENT

Abstract

Monday, March 19, 2001

WRITER: Kathy R. Pharr, (706) 542-5172, pharr@arches.uga.edu

CONTACT: Kellie Casey, (706) 542-2739

UGA LAW SCHOOL SWEEPS INTRASTATE MOOT COURT TOURNAMENT

ATHENS, Ga. -- The University of Georgia School of Law swept the annual Intrastate Moot Court Tournament held in Atlanta March 16-17, winning the championship and second place, as well as honors for Best Team, Best Oralist and Best Brief. UGA last won the intrastate championship in 1994 and last made a clean sweep of the competition in 1990.

Two teams from each of Georgia's four accredited law schools -- UGA, Emory, Georgia State and Mercer -- competed in the competition, hosted this year by Emory. Both of UGA's teams posted perfect records entering the final round of competition, having defeated teams from Mercer in the semi-finals to set up the all-UGA final.

UGA's team of second-year students Natalie Woodward, Eric Getty and Darius Pattillo won the title and were named Best Team. UGA's other finalists, second-year students Jeff Ward, Emily Hammond and Todd Hayes, received the Best Brief Award, and Ward was selected as the tournament's Best Oralist.

Student coaches were third-year students Kevin Weimer and Kwende Jones. Students in a moot court tournament argue the appeal of a hypothetical case before a panel of judges. The hypothetical concerned the constitutionality of a school voucher program and the admissibility of expert testimony.

"All six students were spectacular," said UGA Advocacy Director Kellie Casey. "Every person I saw from the University of Georgia was flawless in every round of the competition. I can't begin to describe just how proud I am of their performance."

The Intrastate Moot Court championship adds to a string of impressive wins this moot court season for the University of Georgia School of Law. UGA moot court teams previously won the regional championships of the National Moot Court Competition, the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, and the ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition. The Jessup and ABA teams will compete in the national rounds of the tournaments in a few weeks.

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