1st in the Nation.

What we do

Moot court is the competitive version of what Supreme Court lawyers do: research legal precedent, craft legal briefs, and deliver oral arguments in appellate cases before Justices. Moot court consists of oral arguments and legal brief writing competitions in which students take on the role of attorneys in a fictional appellate case.

SCMC is the USC team, competing under the American Moot Court Association (AMCA). The competitive roster - composed of various pairs - competes across the country against other schools in the national case provided by AMCA. The case is a closed-universe fact pattern, containing two legal issues -- one per partner in a team of two. The case allows for students to conduct legal research and craft legal arguments to present before a panel of judges and ultimately be scored on their performance. Students must be prepared to argue both sides - petitioner and respondent - of each legal issue. 

In addition to oral arguments, SCMC team members have the opportunity to participate in the national brief-writing competition. Students submit their brief electronically and are judged by a group of judges based on a national rubric.  

SCMC also hosts guest speakers, moderates conversations about American jurisprudence, and plans social events such as visits to state and federal courts. Members do not have to be on the competitive roster to take part in this organization, and no prior experience is required to join the competitive roster. SCMC strives to teach members everything they will need to know about moot court.