The 48th annual Advocates’ Prize competition concluded Thursday, October 26, 2023. Sponsored by the Moot Court Board and the Center for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution, the competition requires students to write an appellate brief that is evaluated by a panel of scoring judges and deliver two oral arguments before a panel of attorneys.
The students who advanced to the final round—Karli Ailshie, Gabi Choate, Carolina Hughes, and Georgia Seay—argued before a panel consisting of the Honorable Timothy Tymkovich, United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit; the Honorable Sheryl H. Lipman, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee; and the Honorable Brian Davis, United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
The case asked the Supreme Court to decide two issues: (1) Whether a Defendant who takes money from individuals following transactions at Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) commits federal bank robbery under 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a); and (2) Whether compelling a Defendant to reveal the passcode to a locked cell phone is a violation of the right against self-incrimination under the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution. After the argument, the panel of judges recognized Karli Ailshie and Gabi Choate as the First Place Team and Carolina Hughes and Georgia Seay as the Second Place Team. The panel awarded Gabi Choate with the Spenser Powell Award as the Top Advocate.
In addition, Reagan Stanfill and Kailyn Stone received the award for First Place Brief. And Carolina Hughes and Georgia Seay received the award for Second Place Brief.
The students who competed in the 2023 Advocates’ Prize competition were: Karli Ailshie, Gabi Choate, Amy Anstey, Mark Hipshire, Richard Leary, Danny Mendoza, Reagan Stanfill, Kailyn Stone, Conner Mitchell, Jake Peterson, Carolina Hughes, Georgia Seay, Luke Norton, Grant Peterson, and Evan Turner. The Moot Court Executive Board thanks everyone for their participation and outstanding contributions to this successful event.
Gabi Choate, Spenser Power Award Recipient for Top Advocate, Advocates’ Prize 2023.
Advocates’ Prize 2023 Finalists and Judges (pictured from left to right): Karli Ailshie and Gabi Choate (First Place Team); the Honorable Brian Davis, United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the Honorable Timothy Tymkovich, United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, and the Honorable Sheryl H. Lipman, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee; and Carolina Hughes and Georgia Seay (Second Place Team)