American University Washington College of Law Hosts High School Moot Court Competition, Nov. 12

Fictitious Argument Similar to Pair of Upcoming Cases before U.S. Supreme Court

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 09, 2011 – The American University Washington College of Law Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project will run the fall William H. Karchmer Local High School Moot Court Competition this Saturday, Nov. 12. 

This year’s competition will feature nearly 40 public and charter high school students from the Washington, D.C. area arguing a fictitious case about whether it is cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment to impose life sentences without parole on juveniles who commit felony murder. 

This week the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a pair of cases addressing a nearly identical issue, Jackson v. Hobbs and Miller v. Alabama.   

Final rounds are scheduled to take place from 4 - 5:00 p.m., and will be judged by Judge Judith Macaluso of D.C. Superior Court, U.S. Magistrate Judge John Facciola of D.C., and Judge William Cave retired chief judge of the 6th Circuit Court in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Participating schools include: Anacostia Senior High School; Ballou Senior High School; Capital City Public Charter School; Cesar Chavez Public Charter School; Dunbar Senior High School; Paul Public Charter School; School Without Walls; Wilson Senior High School.

For more information on the project, please go to http://www.wcl.american.edu/marshallbrennan/.

Media interested in making arrangements to attend the event should contact Megan Smith, (202) 274-4276. 

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American University Washington College of Law

In 1896, American University Washington College of Law became the first law school in the country founded by women. More than 100 years since its founding, this law school community is grounded in the values of equality, diversity, and intellectual rigor. The law school’s nationally and internationally recognized programs (in clinical legal education, trial advocacy, international law, and intellectual property to name a few) and dedicated faculty provide its 1700 JD, LL.M., and SJD students with the critical skills and values to have an immediate impact as students and as graduates, in Washington, DC and around the world. For more information, visit wcl.american.edu.