Delegation Resource Manual: Judicial Manual
Page 106
YMCA PA Youth & Government Program
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During the course of the oral arguments, the justices will interrupt and ask you questions
regarding your argument. You should answer their questions, and then return to your
argument. (Tip: When answering, always begin by stating “yes” or “no” – justices want a yes or no
answer, and then explanation!)
(b) Scoring and Moving-on in the Oral Argument Tournament
Each team will be scored in part based on the oral argument and in part based on their brief
(as discussed previously). The scoring for the performance during the oral argument will be
a weighted average score of the judges presiding with a maximum of ninety points divided as
follows: thirty (30) points for speaker 1, thirty (30) points for speaker 2, and thirty (30)
points for the brief.
The areas in which the justices will be evaluating are:
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Interpretation and Use of Facts
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Understanding of Legal Issue(s)
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Knowledge and Successful Use of Case Law
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Effectiveness and Persuasiveness of Argument
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Evidence of Additional Study and Research
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Overall Demeanor and Ability to Completely Respond to Questions
Based on the score at the end of each round, the teams will be ranked creating the next
round of competition. The specifics are explained below.
(c) Structure of Tournament
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First Round: For the preliminary round of the tournament, each appellant will be
ranked against a respondent to determine the ranking for the tournament’s opening
round based on their brief scores.
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Second Round: The first round will begin the elimination rounds for the tournament.
The teams will be seeded based on the preliminary rounds. The highest ranked team
would play the lowest ranked. The top two appellants and top two scoring respondent
teams will move on to the semi-finals.
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Semifinals: Each team is re-seeded based on the first and second round and brief
performance.
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Finals: Each team is re-seeded based on the semifinal round and brief performance.
The best appellant will face the best respondent in the championship. The second best
appellant will face the second best respondent in the consolation match to determine
third place.
(d) Suggested Outline for Arguments:
This guideline is a suggestion for preparing your oral arguments. In the event that you
represent the Appellants, your team will need to reserve time for rebuttal. You should
begin your argument with “May it please the Court, …” and then identify who you are, and
who you represent. Example:
[Appellant, Speaker #1]:
