2010 National Religious Freedom Moot Court

2010 National Religious Freedom Moot Court
Washington, DC
February 5-6, 2010

The George Washington University Law School is proud to announce the National Religious Freedom Moot Court Competition. Religious freedom, embodied in the twin Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment, is one of the fundamental guarantees of the United States Constitution and is a founding principle of our nation. The Moot Court competition will focus on a current religious freedom issue that implicates a First Amendment controversy.

This year's problem will deal with the Free Exercise Clause and the Establishment Clause. Specifically, the problem will focus on issues regarding the decisions of a local police department to regulate the activities and dress of a police officer. This year, Judge Milan D. Smith, Jr., of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit will judge the final round.

Last year's problem included issues regarding the employment decisions of religious groups in relation to state civil rights. In the past, the Moot Court's problem was described as "deliciously difficult" by the Honorable Jeffrey Sutton, of the Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit. Previously, the winning brief was published by the Rutgers School of Law Journal on Law and Religion.

Past judges of the competition include:
* Honorable Jeffrey Sutton, United States Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit.
* Honorable Diarmuid O'Scannlain, United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.
* Honorable Kent A. Jordan, United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit.
* Honorable John M. Rogers, United States Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit.
* Kevin "Seamus" Hasson, Founder and Chairman of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.
* Martin S. Lederman, Former Attorney Advisor in the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel from 1994 to 2002.

The competition is open to all 2L/3L/4L students from ABA-accredited law schools. Registration opens September 15, 2009 and must be completed by November 6, 2009.

Please join us next February as distinguished judges and skillful students from across the country consider an innovative and challenging problem in the field of religious freedom.

For more information and to register, please visit our website at: http://www.religionmootcourt.org/