D.C.-Area High Schools to Participate in Moot Court Competition at American University Washington College of Law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3, 2014 - The Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project at American University Washington College of Law will bring together local high school competitors for the William H. Karchmer Local High School Moot Court Competition on Saturday, Nov. 15. The competition runs from 9:30 a.m – 5:30 p.m. Final rounds will begin at 4:30 p.m.

The Marshall Brennan-Constitutional Literacy Project mobilizes talented second- and third-year law students to teach courses on constitutional law and juvenile justice in public high schools in the District of Columbia. The Marshall-Brennan Teaching Fellows work with public school teachers, administrators, and lawyers to teach students their rights as citizens, the strategic benefits of voting, how lawmaking occurs, and other fundamental constitutional processes.

This year’s competition will feature students from 14 classes representing 10 public and charter high schools from the Washington, D.C. arguing a fictitious case about whether it is unreasonable search and seizure under the Fourth Amendment for a school resource officer to search a student’s cell phone when there has been an incident of graffiti and possible on-campus drug activity. This spring the U.S. Supreme Court heard a similar case, Riley v. California.

“Students in Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project classes throughout the city gain hard advocacy skills, like the ability to use concrete facts and legal theory to support their arguments, through the work they do to prepare for Karchmer Moot Court Competition," said Melinda Cooperman, associate director, Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project. "These skills are increasingly valuable in a world that values critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, and resilience."

Participating schools include: Anacostia High School, Ballou High School, Capital City Public Charter School, Cardozo Senior High School, Cesar Chavez Schools for Public Policy, Dunbar High School, Eastern High School, Paul Public Charter School, School Without Walls, and Wilson High School.

Media inquiries should be directed to Megan Goodman, (202) 274-4276.

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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, international law, and intellectual property to name a few) and dedicated faculty provide its 1500 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.