Six Scholars advance to moot court nationals

(Jan. 13, 2011) LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Teams consider Commerce Clause and same sex marriage issues

Three teams representing the University of Louisville's McConnell Center will compete at the American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Tournament scheduled for Jan. 14-15, 2011, at Tulane University Law School.

Andrew Carroll and Ben Shepard were ranked third at the Southeast Regional competition at the University of Tampa held last November. Meagan Floyd and Tyler Bosley were ranked fourth, while Melissa Moore and Ben Weyman were ranked eighth. All three teams advanced to the Elite 8 but were knocked out in the quarterfinal round.

Shepard was also recognized for his outstanding oratory skills at regionals, finishing 2nd out of 56 competitors. Carroll finished 5th overall, and Floyd, 10th. Moore was ranked 11th, missing the award ceremony by 0.086 of a point.

Competitors' oral arguments consider the issues of whether the U.S. government exceeded its constitutional powers under the Commerce Clause in enacting the Affordable Health Care Act and whether the Fourteenth Amendment forbids states to refuse to legally recognize the validity of marriages involving persons of the same sex.

The McConnell Scholar Moot Court team is coached by McConnell Scholar alumnus Neil Salyer (Class of 2001, Magoffin County), head of the Legal Studies Department at Brown Mackie College - Louisville.

Pictures of the 2010 McConnell Scholar Moot Court Team