ND Law students win Seigenthaler-Sutherland Cup National First Amendment Moot Court Competition

Notre Dame Law School’s Moot Court Showcase Team won the 73rd annual Seigenthaler-Sutherland Cup National First Amendment Moot Court Competition on March 17-18 at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Third-year law students Leo O’Malley and Olivia Rogers brought home the championship, with strong showings from fellow Showcase oralists Courtney Klaus and Elisabeth Crusey. The teams were supported by brief writers Sam Mariani and Malcolm Coffman.

The Notre Dame Law students competed against 30 teams from 28 schools in the competition, which was hosted by Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law and Center for Religious Liberty.

Teams presented arguments on two topics:

• Whether the extension of the New York Times v. Sullivan standard to limited-purpose public figures is constitutional.
• Whether the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifteenth Circuit erred in concluding that the Physical Autonomy of Minors Act is neutral and generally applicable, and if so, should Emp. Div., Dep’t of Hum. Res. v. Smith be overruled.

Learn more about Notre Dame Law School Moot Court at law.nd.edu/mootcourt.