VI Bar Association To 24th Annual Appellate Moot Court Competition

The Virgin Islands Bar Association is inviting the entire community to attend the 24th Annual Virgin Islands High School Appellate Moot Court Competition, which is hosted by the Bar.

The events will be held as follows:

• May 1, 2018, Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas at 10:00am
• May 2, 2018, District Court of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix at 10:00am
• May 3, 2018, District Court of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix at 10:00am

The event is free of charge and open to the public.  The following 6 schools will participate in this year’s competition:

St. Croix                                                                       St. Thomas

1) Good Hope Country Day School                                1) Antilles School

2) St. Croix Central High School                                     2) Ivanna Eudora Kean High School

3) St. Croix Seventh-day Adventist School                      3) Charlotte Amalie High School

According to the Bar, the competition provides an opportunity for high school juniors and seniors in our Territory to vie for scholarship prizes by presenting oral arguments in which they analyze relevant legal issues in a mock appellate court proceeding.  Members of the Bar mentor the students, advising the teams regarding the substance and presentation of their arguments.  During the first two days of competition, each team will present their arguments to a three judge panel comprised of local attorneys who will select the top two teams from each district, according to the release.

On the final day of competition, the selected teams will present their arguments before a three judge panel comprised of Justices and Judges from the Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands, the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, and the District Court of the Virgin Islands.

This year the students have been presented with a challenging and timely hypothetical case involving a legal action for declaratory judgment in which the petitioner, whose home was completely destroyed by Hurricane Irmaria, challenges his insurance company’s denial of his insurance claim.

The Virgin Islands Bar Association is pleased to carry on the tradition of the Appellate Moot Court Competition recognizing and understanding the positive impact it has on our young people and the legal awareness it generates in our community