John L. Costello National Criminal Law
Trial Advocacy Competition
February 7-10, 2013
Registration
is now open for the Sixth Annual John L. Costello Criminal Law Trial
Advocacy Competition, which will take place in Fairfax, Virginia on
February 7-10, 2013.
Please note that registration for the competition will close on January 6, 2013.
In order to be considered for the competition, teams must submit both
the registration form and fee by the registration deadline.
Final Competitors List for 2012
The following teams competed in the 2012 Competition
American University
Washington College of Law
Fordham University
School of Law
T.C. Williams School of
Law – University of Richmond
University of Illinois
College of Law
The University of Texas
School of Law
Emory University School
of Law
The Catholic University
of America
Howard University School
Law
University of Virginia
School of Law
University of Florida
Levin College of Law
University of Colorado
School of Law
Louisiana State
University Law Center
Pace Law School
The University of South
Dakota School of Law
New York University
Interamerican University
of Puerto Rico School of Law
Georgetown University
Law Center
William and Mary School
of Law
St. Louis University
School of Law
The tentative schedule for the competition is below, but is
subject to change:
Costello Competition
Preliminary Rounds
Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013: First Round (5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
Friday, Feb. 8, 2013: Second Round (5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
Costello Competition Advancing Rounds
Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013: Quarter Final Round (8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)
Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013: Semi Final Round (1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
Costello Competition Final Round
Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013: Final Round begins at 10:00 a.m.
The Costello Competition is held at the Fairfax County Judicial
Center. The Judicial Center is located at 4110 Chain Bridge Road
Fairfax, Virginia 22030. Please see our Directions and Venue Information Page for further directions.
General Information about the Costello Competition
The Costello Competition
is held at the Fairfax County Judicial Center. The Judicial Center is located
at 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, Virginia 22030. Please see our Directions and Venue Information Page for further directions.
General Information about the Costello Competition
The Costello competition is
uniquely designed by Judge Jonathan Thacher to take participants outside the
typical realms of law school competitions. By revealing unknown facts and
witnesses as the competition progresses, the Costello competition simulates the
evolving and unexpected nature of real-life criminal trials. This dynamic
design provides competitors with a realistic experience as counsel in a
criminal trial and an exciting take on trial advocacy! Each trial will take
place in a courtroom at the Fairfax County Judicial Center in front of three
judges. All competition judges are local judges and practitioners, and a real
judge will preside over each trial! Judges and competitors will use the Federal
Rules of Evidence as well as the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.
Competing
schools will be permitted to send at least one team to the Costello
competition. If for whatever reason all available slots do not fill up,
then schools will be able to register additional teams on a first-come basis.
The registration fee for the competition is $500 for the first team.
Should circumstances permit schools to send additional teams the registration
fee for the second team will be $400. All
meals during the competition are catered and included in the registration fee.
The registration fee also includes admission to a cocktail party hosted by
GMUSL’s Trial Advocacy Association for all Costello competition judges and
competitors. The Costello competition will be capped at 30 teams and teams will
be admitted on a first-come basis, so don’t forget to register early!
Registration may be completed by visiting the GMUSL Trial Advocacy Association
website and submitting an online
registration form.
The competition problem will be released to competitors in mid-December. For
any additional questions or information, please contact Jason Malashevich at GMUSL.Costello@gmail.com