[UConn Storrs]

Requires ENGL 1007, 1010, or 1011.

This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of the federal appellate process through a Moot Court simulation. Moot Court is an experiential learning tool that teaches students to craft and present legal arguments both orally and in writing at the appellate court level. While the course prepares students for participation in tournaments hosted by the American Moot Court Association (AMCA), participation in these tournaments is not required for enrollment in the course. It is also important to note that team participation is subject to the availability of spots allocated to each educational institution at the regional level. All students in this course have the option to submit their written appellate briefs to the AMCA Brief Writing Competition.

As a writing-intensive (“W”) course, students will draft, revise, and resubmit several writing assignments throughout the semester. The final projects for this course include drafting appellate briefs for both the petitioner and respondent in the assigned hypothetical case, as well as delivering oral arguments on their behalf. By the end of the course, students will have strengthened their legal reasoning and writing skills, developed their persuasive abilities, and gained experience collaborating as teams for resolving critical legal issues in today’s society. Previous hypothetical cases include prisoners’ rights, the rights of undocumented citizens, and religious freedoms.

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