Making a point -- SIU School of Law students recently argued the National Health Law Moot Court Competition case during their annual intramural competition. The only mock U.S. Supreme Court competition dedicated to the always evolving and expanding topic of health law is Nov. 1-2 at the law school. (Photo provided)
October 25, 2019
School of Law to host health law moot court
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Cutting-edge legal and medical issues are the bedrock of the annual National Health Law Moot Court competition, and next week’s event hosted by the SIU School of Law once again addresses an ongoing concern: opioids.
Twenty-eight teams from 20 law schools will compete Friday and Saturday in the competition at Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Hiram H. Lesar Law Building. The event features second- and third-year law students honing their presentations and formulating legal arguments before judges, law professors and medical professionals.
In its 28th year, this is the only mock U.S. Supreme Court competition dedicated to the evolving and expanding topic of health law, according to Cheryl L. Anderson, a professor at the law school and director of the moot court programs.
Media Advisory
Reporters, photographers and camera crews are welcome to cover the moot court finals on Saturday. Organizers ask reporters and camera crews to check in with Anderson no later than 3:45 p.m. for instructions on where and how the event can be recorded. For more information before the event, contact Anderson at 618/453-5634.
Fictitious case centers on opioid manufacturers
This year’s problem raises questions about state litigation against opioid manufacturers for fueling the opioid crisis through their advertising and marketing practices, Anderson said.
The first issue asks whether a federal court should hear these types of claims or if another branch of government, legislative or an executive agency, is better suited to resolve these questions. The second issue asks whether states can use common law public nuisance laws to recover costs associated with responding to this public health crisis.
“Our hypothetical case this year is only barely hypothetical, as there are several similar cases being ligated right now in courts across the country,” Anderson said. “It seems every day, there are new developments, and this brings a special challenge for the students who will be making their arguments.”
The law school is “proud to be the only appellate moot court competition focused on such cutting-edge health law issues,” Anderson said.
The court record and other information are on the competition website.
Preliminary rounds are Friday and continue on Saturday
Preliminary rounds will take place on Friday and several knock-out rounds will take place on Saturday before the final round at 4:00 p.m., which is open to the public.
SIU law students score technical components of the competitors’ legal briefs, including proper style, citations and typographical errors. An expert panel from the American College of Legal Medicine judges the substantive portion of the brief.
Final round judges to hear case arguments
The final round judges are: Nannette A. Baker, chief magistrate judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri in St. Louis; Judge Michael R. Murphy, who served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit from 1995 until taking senior status in 2012; Richard C. Ausness, a professor at the University of Kentucky College of Law, who drafted the event’s competition problem and bench brief; and Dr. Veling Tsai, president of the American College of Legal Medicine and an ENT-otolaryngologist in Alhambra, California.
Murphy will present the Beatty Jurist-in-Residence lecture at 5 p.m. Wednesday in the law school’s courtroom. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Participating law schools
Texas Tech University School of Law will be seeking a third straight title this year. Another competitor, South Texas College of Law Houston will be going for a competition-leading ninth title. The law schools who are in this year’s competition are:
- Baylor Law School.
- Chicago-Kent College of Law.
- George Washington University Law School.
- Georgia State University College of Law.
- Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis.
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
- Mitchell Hamline School of Law.
- Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law.
- Louis University School of Law.
- Seton Hall University School of Law.
- Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.
- South Texas College of Law Houston
- Suffolk University Law School.
- Texas Tech University School of Law.
- University of California, Hastings College of Law.
- University of Houston Law Center.
- University of Mississippi School of Law.
- University of New Hampshire School of Law.
- University of Oklahoma College of Law.
- University of Tulsa College of Law.
The SIU School of Law, the SIU School of Medicine’s Department of Medical Humanities, the American College of Legal Medicine (ACLM), and the American College of Legal Medicine Foundation co-sponsor the event.