The 2024 John Black Moot Court Competition will be held in person on March 21-22, 2025.
DATES FOR THE 2025 JOHN BLACK MOOT COURT COMPETITION:
Lunch & Learn: TBA
Registration Begins: TBA
Registration Ends: TBA
Problem Released: TBA
Competition Begins: TBA
Writing Component for Course Credit Due Date: TBA
WITNESS AND PARTNER SEARCH
If you are looking for a partner or witnesses, put your information on this spreadsheet.
LEARNING LUNCH SLIDES
HOW TO SIGN UP
Step 1
Pay for your team on PayPal and make sure to save your confirmation number. There are 3 options: (1) $20 if both team members are also Advocates members, (2) $100 if both team members are non-Advocates members, or (3) $60 for half and half.
**Please note in the payment for the names of each teammate and “John Black Moot Court”***
Step 2
Fill out this Google Form.
ABOUT THE COMPETITION
The John Black Moot Court Competition is open only to 1L students at the University of Houston Law Center. The competition is “closed research,” meaning that the Advocates will provide a pool of eligible cases and materials, and competitors are not allowed to cite other materials in their arguments. Teams will prepare and present oral arguments for both sides of the case.
A Competition Team consists of two UHLC 1L students, both serving as attorneys, and both attorneys must present in each round. Competition rounds are judged by members of the Houston legal community who often offer feedback to the teams after the round is over. Teams are scored on the substantive content of their arguments, knowledge of the record, extemporaneous ability, and courtroom demeanor.
APPELLATE ORAL ARGUMENT DISCUSSION
To get all participants prepared for the competition, Professor Simpson will host a discussion on Saturday, February 24 from 9:30 to 11:30 AM in Room 220. The discussion is aimed at familiarizing participants with oral arguments in appellate courts. It is recommended you attend this session so that you are best prepared for the competition. For those of you who plan to attend the session, download the below documents before the discussion as they will be used during the discussion.
On March 2nd, the UHLC Moot Court Team will be hosting a skills workshop. If you are interested in participating in the John Black Moot Court competition team or joining the Moot Court Competition Team, this is a great opportunity to see what appellate arguments look like and meet the current team members!
COURSE CREDIT & PRIZES
UHLC students can earn 1 hour of non-substantive competition credit by (1) making a good-faith effort in the Competition and (2) completing and timely submitting the writing assignment for the Competition that is described in the Competition Rules. Click here to complete a Competition Credit Petition.
Cash prizes will also be awarded to the top-finishing teams.
For more information or questions, email Evalyn Nguyen, Director of the John Black Moot Court Competition.