Moot Court Competition |
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18 February 2004 ATTENTION: Legal affairs and higher education reporters |
Contact:
Janet Gilmore
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WHAT
A moot court competition at the University of California, Berkeley, at which Michael Newdow, the Sacramento area father who sued his daughter's school district and sparked a nationwide debate over the Pledge of Allegiance and the phrase "under God," will argue his position.
Newdow, a medical doctor with a law degree, will test his legal skills at the School of Law (Boalt Hall) event against those of law professor Vikram Amar, a University of California Hastings College of the Law expert on constitutional law, civil procedures and remedies. A panel of law professors and practicing attorneys will act as justices. Details on the program are at http://boaltacs.org
The actual case, Elk Grove Unified School District vs. Newdow, is to be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on March 24. Newdow plans to personally argue his case before the Supreme Court as well.
WHEN
TOMORROW, Thursday, Feb. 19, 4 to 5:45 p.m.
WHERE
Booth Auditorium, Boalt Hall, UC Berkeley.
WHO
Newdow will argue against the school district's policy of leading children in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Amar, representing the position of the Elk Grove school district, will defend the district's policy. The following individuals will weigh the effectiveness of both arguments:
DETAILS
Elk Grove Unified School District vs. Newdow first gained notoriety when the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the pledge, which includes the phrase "under God", violates the First Amendment's prohibition of laws respecting an establishment of religion.