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Home > McGee Moot Court > Past Results > 2003-2004 2003-2004 Competition ResultsNineteenth Annual William E. McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court Competition The Nineteenth Annual William E. McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court Competition was held March 4, 5 and 6, 2004 at the University of Minnesota Law School. Thirty-nine teams representing the following law schools participated: American University New York University School of Law Competitors considered developments concerning the rights of gay men and lesbians in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Lawrence v. Texas, 123 S. Ct. 2472 (2003). The competition case was Lofton v. Secretary of Dept. of Children and Family Services, 358 F.3d 804 (11th Cir. 2004), a decision in which the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the constitutionality of a Florida statute that bars adoption by homosexuals. Judge Natalie E. Hudson of the Minnesota Court of Appeals, Minnesota Supreme Court Commissioner Richard S. Slowes and Hennepin County District Court Judges Heidi S. Schellhas and Lloyd Zimmerman presided over the final argument in Lockhart Hall. Brigham Young University Law School won First Place. Stetson Univ. College of Law came in second. The University of Minnesota Law School won Third Place and Georgia State University College of Law finished fourth. University of Baltimore School of Law won Best Brief honors. Petrina Hall of Georgia State University College of Law won both the Best Oral Advocate Over-All award and Best Oral Advocate of the Preliminary Rounds with Julie Sorenson of Brigham Young University Law School receiving an honorable mention with regard to the latter. Other teams that advanced to the Quarter-Finals included: University of Baltimore School of Law, Walter F. George School of Law Mercer University Team 2, Valparaiso University School of Law and Campbell University School of Law Team 2. Other teams that advanced to the Round of Sixteen included: William Mitchell College of Law Team 2, Seton Hall School of Law Team 1, Cornell Law School, Seton Hall School of Law Team 2, Campbell University School of Law Team 1, Tulane Law School, Walter F. George School of Law Mercer University Team 1 and University of Wisconsin Law School Team 2. Team Competition ResultsFirst Place: Brigham Young University Law School; Julie Sorenson, Liana Spendlove, Eric Widmar Best Brief AwardUniversity of Baltimore School of Law; LaDonna Lusher, Mack Monson and Matthew Wolf Best Oral Advocate Overall AwardPetrina Hall, Georgia State University College of Law Best Oral Advocate of the Preliminary RoundsPetrina Hall, Georgia State University College of Law Honorable MentionJulie Sorenson, Brigham Young University Law School  Dean Alex M. Johnson, Jr. and members of the finals panel, Judge Natalie E. Hudson of the Minnesota Court of Appeals, Minnesota Supreme Court Commissioner Richard S. Slowes and Hennepin County District Court Judges Heidi S. Schellhas and Lloyd Zimmerman pose with Eric Widmar, Liana Spendlove and Julie Sorenson of First Place Brigham Young University Law School on the left and Koinonia Givens-Martin and Christine Jalbert of Second Place Stetson University College of Law. From left to right, Eric Widmar, Liana Spendlove, Judge Hudson, Julie Sorenson, Commissioner Slowes, Dean Johnson, Judge Schellhas, Koinonia Givens-Martin, Judge Zimmerman and Christine Jalbert.  McGee Competition Faculty Advisor, Carl Warren, presents the third and fourth place teams. On the left, members of the Third Place University of Minnesota Law School team, Leah Janus, Leah Bailey and Sara Van Norman. On the Right, members of the Fourth Place Georgia State University College of Law, Robert Laney, Victoria Watkins and Petrina Hall, who also won both the Best Oral Advocate of the Preliminary Rounds and Best Oral Advocate Overall Awards.  Members of the Best Brief Award winning University of Baltimore School of Law, Matthew Wolf, Mark Monson and LaDonna Lusher.  Petrina Hall of Georgia State University College of Law, the Winner of both the Best Oral Advocate of the Preliminary Rounds and Best Oral Advocate Overall Awards.  Members of the McGee Competition Administration Team, Research Assistant Han Pham, Administrative Director Courtney Powell, Faculty Advisor Carl Warren and Administrative Directors Meg Kulenkamp and Jennifer Haluptzok. Not pictured, Administrative Director Kate Jaycox. |
