Oral Argument #7: U.S. V. Rahimi (Whether 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8), which prohibits the possession of firearms by persons subject to domestic-violence restraining orders, v

Oral Argument #7: U.S. V. Rahimi (Whether 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8), which prohibits the possession of firearms by persons subject to domestic-violence restraining orders, violates the Second Amendment on its face.)

https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/united-states-v-rahimi/Links to an external site.

SCOTUS ORAL ARGUMENT GUIDELINES

Oral Argument Format: Each individual will be allowed 20 minutes to present their argument to the class. The Petitioner will go first. After Respondent’s argument, the Petitioner may have a 3-minute rebuttal. If the advocates determine that they want to divide time in a different format, this must be cleared with Prof. Parrish in advance. All major arguments in the merits briefs should be covered by each side. You are encouraged to anticipate your opponent’s arguments and rebut them as appropriate. Remember you are to be an advocate for the designated point of view. If your case is decided, teams should be prepared to discuss the Court’s decision/outcome only at the end of class.

Closing Comments after Questions: Each individual should be prepared with to make succinct, practical closing comments about the ramifications and importance of the legal issue at the heart of the case.

Handout for the Class: Each individual should prepare a concise, informative one-page (double-sided is ok) handout for the class, including: the case caption, name of advocate, key facts, major arguments, data/statistics, key observations about the importance of the case and helpful references for further study. The handout should be very professional, designed to help your audience follow your argument and have a reference for later when writing their journal entry. An example is here: Sample_Handout___Oral_Argument.pdfDownload Sample_Handout___Oral_Argument.pdf

Bibliography: Each individual should compile a bibliography of sources divided into categories as follows: books, periodicals, web sites, other (e.g. interviews). A hard copy of your bibliography is due the day of your oral argument. You should use only high-quality sources.

Classroom Equipment & Slides: Check the classroom to see what you will need. You are encouraged to be creative to help the class understand the case, but always be professional. Test run all technology before you are scheduled to present.

Discussion, Questions and Journal Entries: As “judges” of the arguments, the class should be prepared to engage in a lively discussion with and rigorous questioning of the teams. A journal entry should be written about each argument. If you are a presenter, you should note that in your journal and you may also want to write a short statement about the experience.

Evaluation: Criteria for evaluation include: persuasiveness of the argument, clarity, organization, quality of sources used to support the argument, effective delivery of the argument and appropriate attire, and the ability to give knowledgeable on-your-feet responses to questions. Here is the evaluation scorecard: Oral Argument Scorecard.docxDownload Oral Argument Scorecard.docx

Presentation Day Checklist: Prior to class on the day of your presentation, you should upload to Blueline: 1) Handout 2) Bibliography 3) Slides. You should also bring a hard copy of your handout for your classmates and Prof. P. If you would like to have Prof. P. print them, please request printing by emailing her and attaching your handout by 11:59pm the day before your presentation.

Essential Materials:

For all Merits Briefs, decisions and related material: http://www.scotusblog.comLinks to an external site.

U.S. Supreme Court: http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/opinions.aspxLinks to an external site.

Empirical Scotus: https://empiricalscotus.com/