WHAT IS MOOT COURT?

     “Moot-Court” is an English originated term. Moot means “a subject to argue on” or “to set up a subject to argue and “Moot-Court” could be defined as a mock court in which hypothetical cases are argued.

     In Moot-Court Competition, law students argue on a hypothetical case as in real life. Students role-play attorneys, advocates and rarely judges. All competing students have to stick to the rules of Science of Law when preparing to the necessary documents (for example: indictment) and through the progress of the hearing.

     The idea of Moot-Court has been originated from Anglo-Saxon Law Tradition. The original competition was initially conducted in American Universities where this event is still an official component of the education program. By now, it has been adapted to many countries' education systems. In United States , even some schools have hearing rooms specially allocated for this purpose. Via the competitions held in these rooms law students are got prepared to the challenges of real life they might encounter. Besides Traditional American Moot-Court Competition, there are international Moot-Court Competitions of European and American origin being organized as well. These events have conveyed the concept of “Moot-Court” to Europe and Continental Europe Law System.

     HOW TURKISH MOOT COURT COMPETITION HAS BEEN ORIGINATED? HOW HAS IT DEVELOPED?

     1999-2000

     Until 1999 there was not a Moot-Court Competition except qualifications for international organizations. Since all international competitions have been conducted in English, students with good knowledge of the subject but without enough foreign language capability had been missing the opportunity of participating in these events which could have been very useful and important for their futures. Many European countries (for example Germany ) have been conducting Moot-Court Competitions in their mother languages. Usually, ELSA conducts these events, which take place at the faculties of European Universities.

     Especially for this purpose, ELSA Ankara launching a Director of Moot-Court had started working on organizing such a competition. The director established the rules and infrastructure of a competition that would be held in Ankara in 2001.

     2000-2001

     In 2000-2001 working period, thanks to contributions of Ankara Bar Association, ELSA Ankara had been the pioneer in this area and organized “Ord. Prof. Dr. ELSA Ord. Prof. Dr. Hifzi Veldet VELIDEDEOGLU Moot-Court Competition.” This competition, renamed as” Kurgusal Durusma Yarismasi ”, was the first Moot-Court in Turkish held in Turkey and since it was so, were kept to a pilot region, which was Ankara and only the teams of the following Ankara Law Faculties were included: Ankara University Faculty of Law, Baskent University Faculty of Law, Çankaya University Faculty of Law and Gazi University Faculty of Law. The winner of the competition, which had been held in the Conference Hall, of Hall of Justice of Ankara , was Ankara University Faculty of Law team and the Çankaya University Faculty of Law came second.

     2001-2002

     In 2001-2002 working period, with the participation of law faculties where ELSA has a branch and under the supervision of ELSA Turkey, second “Ord. Prof. Dr. Hifzi Veldet VELIDEDEOGLU Kurgusal Durusma Yarismasi (Turkish MCC)” was conducted. The participant faculties were Ankara University Faculty of Law, Çankaya University Faculty of Law, Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Law and Istanbul University Faculty of Law. The oral final stage of the competition took place at the Conference Hall of Hall of Justice of Ankara on 27-28 April 2002. Pilot region practice had been very educative and the rules of the competition had been regulated in accordance with the experience.

     The subject case of the competition had been selected as “Banking and Trade Law” and been prepared by Prof. Ali ERTEN from Ankara University Faculty of Law. The winner of the competition was Istanbul University Faculty of Law and Ankara University Faculty of Law team came second.

     2002-2003

     In this working period third of “Ord. Prof. Dr. Hifzi Veldet VELIDEDEOGLU Kurgusal Durusma Yarismasi (Turkish MCC)” was organized. This time it was aimed that all the law faculties in Turkey would participate in the competition. The competitor teams were from Anadolu University Faculty of Law, Ankara University Faculty of Law, Bilgi University Faculty of Law, Çankaya University Faculty of Law, Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Law, Gazi University Faculty of Law, Kocaeli University Faculty of Law, Marmara University Faculty of Law, Selçuk University Faculty of Law and Yeditepe University Faculty of Law.

     Ass. Dr. Osman B. GÜRZUMAR who is the former legal chief counsel of Competition Authority and a member of Bilkent University Faculty of Law had prepared the subject case of the competition.

     Due to the rule that “Only eight team can compete in the oral stage”, a pre-elimination was held after written phase. With the attendance of 8 qualifier teams, the competition was conducted on 19-20 April 2003 at the Conference Hall of Hall of Justice Of Ankara. The winner of the year was Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Law.

     2003-2004

     Just as the previous year, it was aimed participation of the faculties of law from all over Turkey and Ankara University ; Atatürk University , Bahcesehir University , Çag University , Çankaya University , Dokuz Eylül University , Galatasaray University , Istanbul University , Kirikkale University and Marmara University took place in the competition. 8 teams qualifying the pre-elimination attended to the oral section held on 24-25 April 2004 at the Conference Hall of Hall of Justice Of Ankara .

     Ass. Dr. Ismail KIRCA of Ankara University Faculty of Law, had prepared the subject case of the competition.

     At the final, Galatasaray University Faculty of Law was the winner, Ankara University Faculty of Law came second and Marmara University Faculty of Law came third.

     2004-2005

     This year our competition is established 5th time. 10 law faculties has been applied for written rounds, but only 8 of them submit their case record. According to the rules the 8 Law faculty directly pass to the oral rounds. The Law Faculties who participated to this years oral rounds are: Anadolu University, Ankara University, Atatürk University, Çankaya University, Dokuz Eylül University, Galatasaray University, Gazi University and İstanbul Ticaret University.

     The subject case of this years competition has prepared by Tolga İŞMEN (LL.M.) from İşmen Law Firm.

     At the final, Galatasaray University Faculty of Law was the winner, Çankaya University Faculty of Law came second and Ankara University Faculty of Law came third.