State: Ntl.
26th Annual Earle Zehmer Moot Court Competition: [2013-07-25]
Perennial volunteers Tracey Hyde, Jacqueline Blanton Steele, Richard Sicking, Barbara Wagner and Mark Zientz are hard at work facilitating one of the most unique moot court competitions in the world. This program is dedicated to providing a stage upon which some of the best young legal minds in the country can display their prowess. Moot court is a program that most law schools include in their curricula. Students are presented with a fictional legal problem. They research the issues, write a brief and then argue their case before panels of judges.
The Zehmer competition is unique, however. Most programs conduct the competition in rounds, and many rounds are typically judged by professors or attorneys. Few competitions have all rounds judged by sitting judges, like the Zehmer competition. The judges in the preliminary rounds of this competition (to be held on Sunday, August 18) are judges, commissioners and other adjudicators who hear workers’ compensation cases on a regular basis. This year, judges will likely be from Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and more. These judges are a challenge for the competitors, and the feedback provided to the contestants is invaluable.
The final round of the Zehmer competition, which will be held on Monday, Aug. 19, is judged by three current judges of the Florida First District Court of Appeal. The District Court has been responsible for hearing appeals of Florida workers’ compensation cases for many years. Judge Zehmer was a member of this court and an avid supporter of this competition. Unfortunately, Judge Zehmer passed away in May 1996 at the age of 64. The Moot Court Competition was then renamed in his honor. Thus, the contestants who rise to the top in the preliminary rounds face the same challenge that will face any attorney at oral argument of a workers’ compensation case, a real appellate court panel. This is a real-world experience that few law students will ever experience. The competition is fierce, and the rewards are obvious.
The Zehmer competition is also unique in its focus on workers’ compensation issues. Most moot court competitions cover a variety of substantive law. It is the goal of this competition, however, to focus on the interest of workers’ compensation law. As the program has evolved, the fictional questions and issues have turned to a national perspective. This is indeed fortunate as the program attracts competitors from around the country. This year’s competition will include Baylor Law School (Texas), Charleston School of Law (South Carolina), Charlotte School of Law (North Carolina), Florida A&M University College of Law, Florida Coastal School of Law, Florida State University College of Law, Mississippi College School of Law, Nova S.E. University Shepard Broad Law Center, Stetson University College of Law, University of Miami School of Law, University of Pittsburgh School of Law and St. Thomas University School of Law.
With a broad geographic appeal, a specific workers’ compensation focus and sitting judges deciding all rounds, the Zehmer competition is unique. The competitors are bright, enthusiastic and exceptionally skilled. The demonstration of appellate advocacy skills they will stage is not to be missed.