Moot Court

A moot court is an extracurricular activity in which participants take part in simulated court proceedings, usually to include drafting briefs and participating in oral argument. The term derives from Anglo Saxon times, when a moot was a gathering of prominent men in a locality to discuss matters of local importance. The modern activity differs from a “Moot Trial”, as moot court usually refers to a simulated appellate court or arbitral case, while a “Moot Trial” usually refers to a simulated jury trial or bench trial. Moot court does not involve actual testimony by witnesses or the presentation of evidence, but is focused solely on the application of the law to a common set of evidentiary assumptions to which the competitors must be introduced.

Students participate at least once in a moot court argument before receiving their law degree. VCL offer a series of moot court opportunities for students of differing skill levels and legal interests. The activity is competitive by nature, and students vie for honors within their institutions and in regional and national Moot Court competitions featuring teams of students from several law colleges.