O'Connor Sits At Final Round Of Moot Court

About 350 students, professors, and parents rose and fell silent last night as a court clerk bellowed: "The Supreme Court of the United States is now in session."

Associate Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and U S Court of Appeals Justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg and John J. Gibbons entered a packed Austin Hall as the final round of the Law School's annual Ames Moot Court competition got underway.

After nearly three hours of arguments and only seven minutes of deliberation, O'Connor announced the court's decision Six students representing the United States Government against a fictitious American citizen were declared the winners.

Frederick D. Nelson, a third-year student who was a member of the winning team and was also cited individually by the Justices for best oral argument, said. "I'm glad it's over Now, I hope I don't flunk out of Law School because I have to start the semester tomorrow."

The groups which reached last night's final rounds were two of bout 20 teams that started the competition two years ago.

After two previous founds of hypothetical trials and hundreds of hours of preparations, only 12 students remained in the running entering last night's finely tuned finale.

Bringing a writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court for a fictitious character named James' Mendez were third-year law students Faithe A Dalton. Edward J DcAngclo, Jim H Goering, Joby Y. Jakosa, John D Stahl and Lawrence J Studnicky III

Representing the U S Government were third year students Laura Bevvinick, Fredetick Haber, Nelson, Sharon Oxborough. Lloyd H Randolph, and Michael N Zachary

In the suit, Mendez was arrested in a foreign nation for a drug-related crime and imprisoned He asked to serve his sentence in the United States and under a treaty that request was granted.

O'Connor, Ginsberg, and Gibbons unanimously ruled against Mendez's request that his conviction be overturned after he was returned to the United States.

Earlier yesterday in Austin Hall, O'Connor spent about half an hour fielding students' questions at Austin Hall

"Personal relationships between the Justices on the Supreme Court right now are really excellent," said O'Connor, the first woman to serve on the High Court.