Designing a Moot Court: What to Do, What Not to Do, and Suggestions for How to Do It
In: PS: political science & politics, Band 37, Heft 3, S. 459-465
Educators often use role-playing exercises that involve problem based
learning in their courses to improve their students' critical and
analytical skills, introduce them to new ways of thinking, increase
interaction with their fellow students, and to enhance student
interest in course lessons and materials (Greening 1998; Albanese 1993; Hensley 1993).A popular role playing simulation is moot court
(Deardoff and Aliotta 2003; Guiliuzza 1991). Moot courts are
academic simulations of appellate advocacy that educate students
about the law and the judicial process. Students, acting as lawyers
or judges, "try" a case before an appellate court.2 In addition to
acting as lawyers or judges, students are assigned to serve as "law
clerks, reporters, or amicus brief writers" (Knerr
and Sommerman 2001, 4). Moot court is an
extremely fluid pedagogical tool which can be used for more than
learning about the law or the judicial process. It has been used in
a variety of disciplines including political science, media,
history, journalism, sociology, art, economics, business, and the
life sciences to educate students about a variety of subjects such
as history, journalistic rights, anti-trust laws, or professional
ethics (Carlson and Skaggs 2000; Dhooge
1999; Bentley 1996).