THE KOVSIE FIRST-YEAR MOOT COURT COMPETITION: CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF MOOTING EXCELLENCE

In June 2004, the Departments of Procedural Law and Law of Evidence in the Faculty of Law at the University of the Free State devised a moot competition that would be unique in legal education. Not only was it to be for first-year Law students, but it had to be as close as possible to a real appearance in the South African higher courts.

The mooting instead of mock format of the competition was chosen to reflect students’ research and legal drafting abilities and lay the foundation for good oral advocacy skills. The South African Supreme Court of Appeal, located in Bloemfontein, was chosen as locality for the competition. Retired and serving judges from both this court and the Free State division of the High Court were to act as judges in the competition. Rules for the competition and judging criteria were devised, and the first humble competition was held in the Supreme Court of Appeal in September 2004, with three teams from Rhodes, North-West, and the UFS participating. The competition has steadily grown and is now presented over two days, instead of one day. The Free State High Court is used in the preliminary rounds and the final rounds are held in the SCA. Members of the legal professions now supplement sitting and retired judges in judging the competition.

Some of the participants in the 2013 competition in front of the SCA.

In September 2014, we will be celebrating a decade of the competition.