may it please the court

Well, I'm writing from a location I never anticipated blogging from--inside the moot court room at the William and Mary School of Law in Williamsburg, VA. I'm here with the constitutional law moot court team (I'm the coach this year) for an appellate advocacy competition and we've got about twenty minutes before Michael and Dan have to go. They're nervous, as you might imagine. Michael is reading through his folder intently, reciting case facts to himself in an intense undertone; Dan is meandering through the halls, checking out the other teams, sizing up the competition. We are about to head to our appointed classroom, where they will argue for 15 minutes each in front of federal circuit judges from all over the nation. Talk about stress. Even though they've been immersed in their issues and arguments since Christmas, there's just so much riding on the line, and so much they can't control until they're standing there fielding a question. I was in their shoes last year, and it sucked. But once you get going you're reminded of just how much preparation you've done, and it gets easier. I think they'll do fine. The school is quite nice, and we actually had a fun time this morning strolling through the streets of colonial Williamsburg, watching the period actors hang about in their tri-cornered hats and stockings.

If Michael and Dan do well, we'll continue arguing until Saturday evening, and hopefully bag a trophy. If not, we'll all just be glad to have this thing over with once and for all. I guess the good thing is that we've all learned a great deal about the intricacies of the Fourth and Fifth Amendments, which we may never have picked up otherwise. Anyway, it's showtime. The stage is lit, and the gods of eloquence are hovering in the wings, waiting to see who deserves their favor. Pray it is us.