Mini-Moot Court: Use of the Abbreviated Simulation in Teaching Constitutional Law

Abstract

While moot court simulations are often used in undergraduate courses in Constitutional Law, there are challenges to running an effective simulation. For instructors faced with disparate student preparation and skills, class size, time and workload constraints, as well as those looking for a supplementary exercise for traditional moot court simulations, an abbreviated version – the “mini-moot"– can be a valuable classroom tool. This paper discusses the purposes, form, and benefits of such mini-moot court exercises, drawing upon the past four years of use, and some promising classroom data regarding their pedagogical value.

Keywords: Simulations, Moot Court, Constitutional Law