Campus Update
(February 2, 2007)
Two UAlbany Students Named Moot Court
All-Americans
By virtue of their performance in the national tournament, both Bain-Lucey and Chamberlain were named AMCA moot court All-Americans. This was the second consecutive year Bain-Lucey received this designation, making her a rare two-time All-American.
Two of the three UAlbany teams advanced to the second day's single-elimination round of arguments: Bain-Lucey and Chamberlain, and Bresee and Keller. Bresee and Keller were defeated in round 32 by a team that advanced to the tournament's final round. Bain-Lucey and Chamberlain won their first two rounds of argument on Saturday to advance to the national quarterfinals, or the "Elite Eight," before being bested by another team.
The hypothetical case, in which students debated both sides, involved the federal government's warrant-less interception and monitoring of e-mail communication among American citizens suspected of terrorism. The case presented issues involving the limits of Presidential authority as well as Article II of the U.S. Constitution and the Fourth Amendment.
Former United States Attorney General John Ashcroft was a special guest at the AMCA national tournament, and he met and personally congratulated each of the participating teams.
The UAlbany moot court team was able to participate in the national as well as the regional moot court tournament held in December at Fitchburg State College in Fitchburg, Mass., because of generous financial support provided by the UAlbany Alumni Association and the School of Criminal Justice. The team was coached by Distinguished Teaching Professor James Acker of the School of Criminal Justice, and two School of Criminal Justice graduate students: Matthew Laroche (a former participant on the UAlbany moot court team and recipient of All-American honors for his performance in last year's national tournament), and Brent Lovett.