Liberty law students prep for national competition

The determination of the two Liberty University law students shows as they stand to practice arguing their case.

“Mr. Chief Justice, may it please the court, my name is Carrie Mitchell,” the 25-year-old student says. “And I represent the petitioners.”

Behind her, fellow student Ben Walton awaits his turn to speak. Mitchell stands at a podium in the courtroom, facing a bench where law professor Scott Thompson sits, posing as the “chief justice” in the case.

The lawsuit is fictional and part of a moot court competition, but the overarching issues are real, and the law students know their stuff.

Earlier this month, Mitchell and Walton earned a spot as one of four champion teams out of 31 groups who competed in the American Bar Association’s regional National Appellate Advocacy Competition.

They now are preparing for the national finals that start Thursday in Chicago, where they’ll go up against the top 24 teams in the country.

“They have to know the arguments from both parties,” said Thompson, who advises Liberty’s moot court teams. “You have to be able to change sides very quickly.”

In the fictional problem, Congress has passed legislation that de-authorized the U.S. president’s use of force against a country harboring terrorists. The president refused to comply with the act, saying it was an unconstitutional infringement on his authority as Commander in Chief. Congress responded with a lawsuit, which sets the stage for the moot court competition.

A brief on the case was released to competitors in November, and they had until mid-January to submit written arguments for each side.

“On one end, say the president is a nasty, evil guy,” Thompson said. “Then, turn around and defend him to death.”

It’s sometimes hard to keep the arguments straight, Walton said, but his team argued persuasively at the regional competition.

Out of about 70 students who competed, Walton took eighth place for his oral argument, and Mitchell placed second.

Leading up to the competition, the group has been practicing its arguments two to three times a week.

The finals start Thursday with two preliminary rounds argued from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Then, the top 16 teams will go head-to-head in single-elimination rounds until the top two teams remain. For the final round, the top two teams will argue within the Supreme Court of Illinois.

This is Liberty’s first time in the finals.

“We’re really excited that we get the opportunity to represent Liberty,” Mitchell said, “and show that a Christian school can do well with an emphasis on the Lord.”