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Notre Dame College continued its distinctive tradition of showcasing prelaw scholars and their litigation advocacy skills for U.S. Constitution and Citizenship Day.

Students on the College’s nationally recognized Moot Court team once again have argued the American Moot Court Association’s hypothetical appellate court case in a special campus demonstration to mark the federal occasion. On this fourth annual Constitution Night in October 2020 at Notre Dame, the students defended the First Amendment rights of free speech and freedom of association.

Constitution Day and Citizenship Day commemorates the signing of the United States Constitution. Since 2004, all institutions that receive federal funding have been required to provide educational programming related to the history of the U.S. Constitution on or around the day.

The College’s Constitution Night program is an opportunity for moot court students to practice in a formal setting with a live “bench” of Constitutional scholars. The team also simulates the mechanisms of legal proceedings as an educational experience for students, faculty and staff at the College.

This year Notre Dame sophomore Dennis Bunch and seniors Athene Goodman, Katie Petro and Austin Mora argued points of law and answered questions from the judges. The participants were all in person in a technology-enhanced classroom on campus with COVID-19 protocols in place.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to see the workings of the appellate court system and experience our interdisciplinary liberal arts scholars advocating for the law,” said R. Eric Matthews Jr., assistant professor of political science and moot court team coach at the College.

Serving as chief justice for the moot court demonstration was Geoff Ritts,  J.D., senior partner at Jones Day, who is recognized by the American Bar Association as one of the country’s outstanding litigators. Ritts also serves as co-chair of the Notre Dame Board of Trustees.

Joining him on the bench to hear the students’ oral arguments this year were Cori Sieger, former assistant director of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and Ken Palko, assistant professor of philosophy, division chair of arts and humanities and chair of the Honors Scholars Program at Notre Dame.

Established in 2011, Notre Dame’s co-curricular prelaw moot court program has qualified for national competitions in five of its first seven years of existence. The team competes in multiple scrimmages and qualifying tournaments throughout the country each fall.

Moot court is a method of teaching law and legal skills by requiring students to analyze and argue both sides of a hypothetical legal issue using state and federal appellate court procedures.

October 2020

About Notre Dame College

For almost a century, Notre Dame College has educated a diverse population in the liberal arts for personal, professional and global responsibility. Founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1922, the College has grown strategically to keep pace with the rapidly changing needs of students and the dramatic changes in higher education. But it has never lost sight of its emphasis on teaching students not only how to make a good living but also how to live a good life.

Today, the College offers bachelor’s degrees in 30 disciplines plus a variety of master’s degrees, certification programs and continuing and professional development programs for adult learners on campus and online. Notre Dame College offers NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletic programs for men and women and is located in a picturesque residential neighborhood just 25 minutes from the heart of Cleveland. Hallmarks of the Notre Dame experience include stimulating academics, personalized attention of dedicated faculty and staff, and small class sizes.

Notre Dame College is located at 4545 College Road in South Euclid. For further information contact Brian Johnston, chief communications officer, at 216.373.5252 or pr@ndc.edu.