Constitutional questions surrounding whether someone’s speech encouraging another person to take their own life is grounds for manslaughter will be among the issues debated by students in the American Moot Court Association’s Eastern Regional tournament, taking place Nov. 22 and 23 on the Fitchburg State University campus.
The hypothetical case, inspired by actual cases that drew national attention, will be argued by 46 teams of students from 17 colleges and universities at the regional tournament. Winners will advance to the national tournament in January.
Beyond the free speech issues of the case, the tournament will also have students arguing whether accessing an electronic device using its owner’s “face ID” without consent constitutes compelled self-incrimination, a 5th Amendment violation.
Professor Paul I. Weizer of the university’s Economics, History and Political Science Department has coached the university’s Moot Court program since its inception. The program has a strong history of sending teams to advanced rounds of the national tournament, including high scores for students drafting legal briefs on the case before them.
"Fitchburg State is honored to host the AMCA Eastern regional once again,” Professor Weizer said. “As we head towards our 25th year of moot court at Fitchburg State, it is always exciting to see how our students stack up against some of the best schools in the country. We've had great success in this event. While the competition gets tougher every year, I'm confident our students will give a good account of themselves.”
Alexia Perez-Lucas, majoring in political science with a concentration in international politics, was recruited to join Fitchburg State’s moot court team by Professor Weizer. “Based on my interests, he recommended that I get involved in Moot Court as a way to develop important skills and gain valuable experience in legal reasoning and public speaking,” she said. “Preparing for the Moot Court tournament was both challenging and rewarding. Preparation has involved extensive research, analyzing complex legal issues, and crafting persuasive arguments. The Fitchburg State team has spent hours reviewing cases, developing our strategies, and practicing oral presentations. Throughout this process, I gained a deeper understanding of legal processes and improved my ability to think critically on my feet.”
Perez-Lucas, who is considering law school after graduating to further her passion for public service, said she is looking forward to representing Fitchburg State at the competition. “Knowing that we’ll be competing against some amazing teams from universities across the country is both inspiring and motivating,” she said. “I am eager to put everything I’ve learned into practice and showcase teh hard work my team and I have put into preparing. At the same time, it’s a bit nerve-wracking, but I am confident that the experience will not only challenge me but also help me grow as a public speaker and critical thinker. I hope we make the university proud.”
Learn more about the tournament, and view the full text of this year’s case problem, at https://www.amcamootcourt.org/about.