Dates
December 3, 2024
What is the maximum brief score?
100 points
How many teams advance past the preliminary rounds to the quarterfinals?
8/32
Yes, but only until the problem is released. After that, cone of silence.
When are interpretation questions due to the competition board?
January 3, 2025
What percentage is the brief worth and in which rounds of the competition does it count toward the team's score?
40%. Determines the total round score throughout the entire competition. Oral score is worth 60%.
Can you attend other teams' oral arguments during the competition?
Trick Question!
Yes - if they are from your school
No - if they are from any other school
Can librarians help teams prepare?
Yes, both before and after the problem is released with routine assistance that is regularly offered to law students.
What date and time are briefs due?
February 3, 2025 9pm CST
Which supreme court rules must be followed when writing the brief?
Supreme Court Rule 24. Respondent must include all material specified in Rule 24.1 (p.2 rules). Also Supreme Court Rule 33 (color). Supreme Court Rule 34 (cover, tables of authorities)
https://www.supremecourt.gov/filingandrules/2023RulesoftheCourt.pdf
Who can "moot" teams during practice rounds before the competition?f
Anyone except the person who has access to the competition bench memo.
Can teams on the same school help each other?
Trick question
Before the problem: yes.
During the brief writing: no.
During oral argument: yes.
When do you need to protest another team's brief by?
February 17, 2025
What is the biggest portion of points awarded in the brief? Smallest?
Argument section: 55/100
Opinions below: 1/100
Will the judges in each round have read your brief beforehand? Will you be able to read the briefs of the teams you are going against before the round to prepare for their specific arguments?
No. They will receive a "bench brief." Yes. Briefs will be released, however, you will not know which brief the team wrote because the team numbers and brief numbers do not align. Also, briefs and oral arguments do not have to sync, so you may hear something in argument that was not in any brief.
Will we get to pick which side we argue during the competition?
No and yes. In preliminary rounds, both teams will argue BOTH sides.
In quarterfinal, seminfinal, and final rounds, the coin flip winner will choose the side.
When does the work start?
NOW.
How many points will SIU teams get penalized on their briefs?
None. Zero. Zip. Not allowed. Do not give us a reason to be upset. Follow the rules precisely, and you will not get penalties.
What is the biggest portion of the score awarded for oral argument?
50/100: Evidence of research, knowledge of record, issues, and law; organization and reasoning. (pg 11 rules)
How many practices are we allowed to have after the brief is submitted?
No limit on practices. However, there will likely be 1-2 full group practices a week for the first few weeks. Closer to competition we will pick it up with 3-4. Students on the same team or the same issue should have small group practices outside the full group practices as well.