Since 1949, Wayne State University’s Moot Court Program has helped students hone their written and oral advocacy skills at the appellate level. Junior members team up to write one appellate brief each semester and argue at least four times before a panel of senior member judges. They may later advance to the Arthur Neef or Law Day Competition, where practicing attorneys and judges preside over the arguments. Each year, these practitioners comment that the students’ arguments are better than 90% of the ones presented in court.

Joining Moot Court. Petitioning will occur in August in the Moot Court courtroom. Eligible second and third year law students will receive a letter in the mail during the summer which will provide further details on dates and times.

History of Moot Court. Moot Court originally began in 1938 as informal groups called “Case Clubs”, which were designed to “acquaint students with preparation of legal arguments and presentation thereof before a court.” These clubs argued before faculty members and practitioners in preparation for competition against other schools’ advocacy clubs. In 1949, the group became an officially recognized student group in the law school and was renamed Moot Court. Since then, Moot Court has evolved into one of the most competitive appellate advocacy programs in the country, and we are proud to continue this tradition today.