Washington, DC - infoZine - Scripps Howard Foundation Wire - The question of whether the charge of conspiracy to traffic illegal firearms was based on an illegal search that violated the Fourth Amendment rights of Alden and his co-defendant Betty Eddy was argued Thursday by George Washington University Law School students during the annual Van Vleck Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition.

Hundreds of spectators filled Lisner Auditorium to watch four finalists go toe-to-toe in oral arguments before Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Chief Judge Robert Katzmann of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York and District Judge Lee Rosenthal of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas in Houston.

After the competition, Sotomayor praised the students and expressed her delight at being part of the event.

Alden and Eddy are made-up people, as was their court case. But it echoed cases that have made it to the Supreme Court and others that are on their way.

Although the moot court was a fairly precise simulation of a court proceeding, fast paced with unforgiving lines of questioning, there were moments that threatened the illusion.

The final two teams from an original 52 were afforded an opportunity real-world attorneys would never expect - the justices promised not to be mean.

Amanda Nagrotsky, 24, from D.C., a third-year law student and part-time law clerk, argued for Alden and Eddy. Trying to ease her nerves, she recalled the encounter the four competitors had with Sotomayor, Katzmann and Rosenthal shortly before the competition.

The seven stood together in a circle for about 15 minutes sharing stories about their lives. The judges urged the teams to enjoy the experience.

Its really intimidating, so for them to be so nice and friendly it was just a reminder that theyre people, they have emotions, theyre not robots, so everything is going to be fine, Nagrotsky said.

Kyle Singhal, 28, from D.C., a third-year law student and LSAT tutor, argued for the governments right to collect the aerial photographs and location data without a warrant.

Continued here:

Sotomayor Presides Over Moot Court Raising Privacy Questions