2018-2019 Tryout

2018-2019 Tryout Problem is now complete.

Selection Process: Once the briefs are received each student will be required to select a time slot for the oral argument. Oral Arguments will be held on Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29, in the afternoon.

The problem is available at this link: 2018-2019 Tryout Problem

The oral argument sign-up sheet is available at this link: 2018-2019 IMCHS Tryout Sign-up Spreadsheet

Instructions:

  • Please prepare a 5-minute oral argument to the International Court of Justice representing either applicant or respondent based on the tryout problem.
  • This is a closed exercise; please limit your cited sources to those listed below.  The first three sources are basic to most questions of international law, and you should be able to find them on your own.  Links have been provided for other sources.  Please feel free to refer to your International Law textbook or other general resources for background material.

Pointers:

  • Please refer to the hypothetical as Compromis for the tryout purposes. If you feel necessary to pinpoint to a specific paragraph in the Compromis, please refer to the content you cited to by using its paragraph number. E.g., Paragraph 31 of the Compromis.
  • International Court of Justice (ICJ) judges are NOT called your honor. Refer to them as Your Excellency.
  • Remember that States are sovereigns and as such are not bound to any case law unless they were a party to it. However, case law is persuasive. E.g. Germany is not bound to the Military and Paramilitary Activities in and Against Nicaragua (US v. Nic.).
  • States are, however, bound to treaties they are a party to.

International Law 101: 

Sources:

  1. U.N. Charter
  2. Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties
  3. Statute of the International Court of Justice
  4. Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
  5. ICJ Advisory Opinion on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons
  6. U.N. Security Council Resolution 1887 of 2009
  7. Summary on Asylum Case
  8. Asylum Case (Columbia v. Peru)

Best of luck! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email us at imchs@kentlaw.iit.edu.