After a seven-year hiatus, Carroll College’s Moot Court team made a welcome return to competition this fall, kicking off the first of three regional tournaments for the newly relaunched program. Team members Hadley Wilcox, a junior from Kennewick, WA, and John Goodwin, a junior from Helena, represented Carroll at the South Texas Regional Tournament of the American Moot Court Association (AMCA), held November 1–2, 2025, at Texas A&M Law School in Fort Worth, Texas.
The Carroll duo held their own against seasoned teams from large universities across the country. Although they did not advance to the Preliminary Round of the National Tournament next spring, the experience marked an impressive debut for a new program and provided valuable preparation for future competitions.
“This was my first Moot Court Competition. I was at first worried about the competition as I was very new to Moot Court,” shared John Goodwin “However, after each round I would pick up new ideas and critiques that allowed me to become more comfortable throughout the competition. This is one of the best experiences I have had at Carroll College and I am very appreciative for our coaches, Dr. Johnson, and the college supporting us in this amazing opportunity. I am looking very much forward to competing next year.”
Carroll’s Moot Court reboot began earlier this fall under the guidance of Professor Kristine D. Kuenzli, J.D., who serves as the team’s coach. An adjunct instructor in Political Science, Kuenzli brings extensive experience in both teaching and competition. Before joining Carroll, she spent nine years teaching law courses at the United States Air Force Academy, where she also mentored and judged Moot Court and Trial Advocacy teams.
This year’s Carroll Moot Court team includes six members, each competing in one of three regional tournaments this fall. Hadley and John represented Carroll in the season’s first event in Texas. Later this month, Ella Kuenzli and Michael Faccenda will compete at the Drake Regional at Drake University in Des Moines, November 14–15, followed by Kate Wilkins and Reagan Long at the Southern California Regional at Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles, November 22–23. Because each team may participate in only one regional tournament, the three Carroll teams together represent the college’s full slate of competitors for the 2025 season, building valuable experience and establishing a strong foundation for a lasting Moot Court tradition at Carroll.
The Moot Court program offers undergraduates a chance to engage in simulated appellate advocacy, honing skills in legal reasoning, public speaking, and critical analysis. Carroll College has a two-semester training program for AMCA. During the spring semester, PO 380: Appellate Advocacy, introduces students to moot court and focuses on detailed analysis of the previous year’s AMCA problem. Then to prepare for competition, Carroll offers PO 380: Moot Court, a fall course focused on case preparation, brief writing, and oral argument training for the AMCA competition season.
Each year, the AMCA hosts approximately 20 regional qualifying tournaments nationwide. Two-person teams argue fictional appellate cases before panels of judges, typically professors, attorneys, or law students, and are evaluated on their understanding of the case, responsiveness, persuasiveness, and courtroom demeanor. The top 25% of teams advance to the National Championship Tournament.
To learn more about Moot Court at Carroll, visit www.carroll.edu/moot-court-team.