The Honorable John R. Brown served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit as one of the nation's most prominent admiralty judges from 1955 until his death in 1993. Shortly after his death and in his honor, The University of Texas School of Law established the "Judge John R. Brown Admiralty Moot Court Competition," an interscholastic appellate advocacy competition.
Each year, the Competition is held under the joint sponsorship of The University of Texas School of Law and a local host school. In 2013 Charleston School of Law will locally host the Twentieth Annual Competition March 21st through March 23rd in Charleston, South Carolina.
Major funding each year is provided by the Houston law firm of Royston, Rayzor, Vickery & Williams, L.L.P. (where Judge Brown practiced from 1932 to 1955) and the Maritime Law Association of the United States.
As in years past, last year we were privileged to have distinguished judges serving as judges for the Championship Round. For the Semi-Final Rounds, we were pleased to have as judges prominent members of the maritime bar, Presidents and Past Presidents of the Maritime Law Association of the United States, and admiralty professors.
For teams interested in participation, the registration deadline is December 1st. Each school may enter one or two teams consisting of two or three competitors each. Registration will be done on a first-come, first-served basis, and space is limited, so prompt enrollment is recommended. The registration fee is $200 per team. Links to the registration form and a schedule of important dates are provided above. Additionally, a link to the 2012 problem is provided above to aid coaches in selecting a team.
Inquiries regarding judging, sponsorship, or registration may be directed to David Marcou.