2022 Ames Moot Court Competition

November 10, 2022, 7:30pm
Ames Courtroom

with raked seating and judges' bench
The Ames Courtroom, formerly Austin Hall’s library reading room was remodeled to become the James Barr Ames Courtroom in 1954. The room is used for many law school events, including the Ames Moot Court Competition, one of the most prestigious competitions for appellate brief writing and advocacy in the country.

Case: Energon, U.S.A. v. Ames County Board of Commissioners

A man speaks into an microphone
A woman in a suit at a podium speaking
A judge speaking into a microphone as he listens from the bench
A woman stands at a podium as three judges sitting on a panel in front of her listen.

A writ of certiorari is granted on the following two questions:

  1. Whether federal common law exclusively governs claims seeking redress for injuries allegedly caused by the effect of interstate greenhouse gas emissions.
  2. Whether a federal district court has jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1331 over claims seeking redress for injuries allegedly caused by the effect of interstate greenhouse gas emissions even if they are pleaded under state law.
Read the Case Summary

Judges

  • Sri Srinivasan, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
  • Britt Grant, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • Rowan Wilson, New York Court of Appeals
Six students standing together

Teams

The Lani Guinier Memorial Team
(Petitioner)

Best Brief, Best Overall

Daniel Ergas
Gillian Hannahs
Emily Hatch
Samantha Neal, Best Oralist
Sierra Polston
Natalie Tsang

Six students standing together

The Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Memorial Team (Respondent)

Pauline Esman
Justin Fishman
Connor Haaland
Samantha Ilagan
Nikolas Paladino
Lincoln Plews