CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE UNITED STATES
ON THE BENCH
AT NCCU LAW SCHOOL
DURHAM, NC - Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts, Jr., presided over a moot court competition at North Carolina Central University’s School of Law. He was joined on the bench by former NCCU law professor and Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Allyson Duncan and retired Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court Henry Frye. The Chief Justice presided over the proceeding at the request of NCCU School of Law Dean Raymond C. Pierce.
NCCU Law students Matthew Reeder and Tanya Harris presented oral arguments with fellow student Mike Stuart serving as brief writer for the side of the government. For the defense, Kahlida Lloyd and Dominique Williams argued the briefs written by Robert Dobson.
The case concerned a defendant who was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia but refused the medication that might restore his competency to stand trial for threatening to murder a judge. The argument was whether the government could force him to comply with the medical intervention.
From the opening remarks, Chief Justice Roberts and Judge Duncan fired off questions, frequently interrupting the students to better explain their points or posit the ramifications of what they were asking of the court.
Lloyd opened the session for the defense citing the need for “clear and convincing evidence” of the necessity of the medication. Her level, calm and persistent presentation won her selection as best orator for the defense.
Defense team member Williams found Chief Justice Roberts to be relaxed and enjoying himself, which put the student at ease. The only comic moment of the trial came when the Chief Justice jokingly asked Williams, “You’re not challenging the government’s interest here are you? After all, the person threatened a judge!”
Reeder was declared best orator for the government despite walking into a trap laid by the Chief Justice when he asked, “What if the drug had a one in one thousand chance of killing [the defendant]?”
The moot court justices were impressed with the students’ preparation and lack of anxiety. Duncan remarked that they were “self-possessed without being robotic” and Chief Justice Roberts quipped, “I’m a little disappointed you weren’t more nervous.”
“It was a hot bench!” stated Lloyd after it was over.
When asked how they managed to stay so calm, the students revealed that they had undergone grueling moot court preparation at the hands of some of the best legal minds in the area including attorneys Charles Becton, Julius L. Chambers, James Coleman, Tom Maher, and Neil Seigel. Pamela Glean, moot court competition coordinator and NCCU assistant dean for clinical and professional skills, said, “All of the students worked very hard, sacrificed and carried the weight of the reputation of this Law School and they carried it very well.” |
