Comments on The Bench Brief: The UH Moot Court National Championship

Well, I absolutely agree on the timing. We'll get...

2009-04-07T10:48:00.000-05:00

Well, I absolutely agree on the timing. We'll get an invitation, but I'm really scratching my head at what students I'll use. But that's not to say I think it's a bad idea; Houston just needs to move it to the early fall.

We just cannot make it with our best kids at that ...

2009-04-07T09:23:00.000-05:00

We just cannot make it with our best kids at that time of year. I would think that Georgetown is in a similar situation. You cannot really call any given competition a national championship if its timing precludes the participation of one or more of the schools that would be acknowledged as among the legitimate contenders. What on Earth is wrong with letting the ABA NAAC decide the question each year? Zoole, WUStL

The winner of the so-called moot court tournament ...

2009-01-20T15:53:00.000-06:00

The winner of the so-called moot court tournament of champions: Detroit Mercy. See,
http://www.law.uh.edu/homepage.html
--Brian Koppen

I agree that the point system is a bit convoluted ...

2009-01-05T14:09:00.000-06:00

I agree that the point system is a bit convoluted but it is hard for me to be too critical when UH didn't even make their own tournament. I think more schools should take this example and only allow their own teams to compete if they deserve it. There are several mock trial tournaments that allow their own teams to play, even though they don't deserve to play.

I am always skeptical of tournaments that give no basis for accepting some invitations and declining others. I understand that all tournaments can't be run on a point system because then the same schools would go to all of the tournaments. However, there should be some basis for accepting and declining invitations (for example - favoring schools in the same region over others, only allowing one school from each state, favoring past champions of the tournament, etc.). Even if the system is flawed, at least it won't give off the stink of politics and favoritism.

My major criticism of the UH tournament is the timing. To host a tournament during a time when most students are not in school is a very bad decision. Many law students do not attend school in their home state. With school and summer internships, the only chance some students have to visit their parents is during the Christmas break. To take away personal and family time for an extracurricular activity is wrong.