Two teams representing The University of Texas at Dallas reached the quarterfinals in the regional moot court tournament held recently at Texas Wesleyan University School of Law.
Of the 42 teams participating, UT Dallas was the only university to advance two squads to among the top eight. The team of senior Ryan Abbott and junior Chris Purcell was ranked second among all competitors, and the team of seniors Dolores Ramirez and Miles Stoner was ranked eighth overall.
Moot court typically originates in government and politics courses. Students working in teams of two prepare arguments based on precedent that deal with issues raised in hypothetical cases. The teams are required to prepare arguments on both sides of the issue, and, in competition, they are questioned by one or more “judges” and must be able to respond quickly with well-reasoned legal arguments. The topic changes each year; this year students argued cases dealing with the fourth amendment question of executive authority to surveil citizens in times of national emergencies.
Dr. Anthony Champagne, a professor of government and politics in UT Dallas’ School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, leads the university’s moot court program. Champagne also is the director of pre-law student advising in UT Dallas’ burgeoning pre-law program, which has grown to about 150 students and feeds to some of the top law schools in the region and in the nation, including Yale, Columbia, the University of Chicago, Southern Methodist University, the University of Houston and Texas Tech University.
The regional competition is organized by the Texas Undergraduate Moot Court Association. Other universities participating in the tournament, held April 13-14, included St. Edwards University, the University of North Texas, The University of Texas at Arlington, Howard Payne University, Stephen F. Austin State University, Hardin-Simmons University, Texas A&M University and Texas Wesleyan.
Contact Jenni Huffenberger, UT Dallas, (972) 883-4431, jennib@utdallas.edu