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Moot Court Research Support: Oral Advocacy Resources

Resources selected to assist members of the moot court programs at the University of Illinois College of Law. Some resources may be limited to University of Illinois or College of Law personnel.

ORAL ADVOCACY RESOURCES

This page will assist you in locating resources to aid you in preparation for oral argument. The resources will be both those specific to appellate advocacy, as well as resources which provide general guidence for public speaking.

Oral Arguments

Online

  • Oyez Project:  MP3 Audio files in streaming format – complete coverage from 1995 to present; selective coverage from 1955 to 1994.
  • Lexis: US Supreme Court Transcripts database begins with October 1979 Term.  Lexis.com: 
    Legal > Cases - U.S. > Supreme Court Cases & Materials > United States Supreme Court Transcripts; On Lexis Advance navigate to lexis.com using the red tab that says "Research" as this database is not currently on Lexis Advance.
  • Westlaw: SCT-ORALARG database contains transcripts of oral arguments in cases heard by the United States Supreme Court from the Court's 1990-91 Term to the present.  On Westlaw Next, type "U.S. Supreme Court Oral Argument Transcripts" in the large search box to get to this database.

Print & Cassettes

  • May It Please the Court: Landmark Cases Argued Before the Supreme Court, Transcripts and Cassettes. Law Permanent Reserves and Law A/V KF 4748 .M39 1993

  • Landmark Briefs and Arguments of the Supreme Court of the United States: Constitutional Law, Law General Collection KF 101.8 .K87

Microform

  • Oral Arguments of the Supreme Court of the United States Law Microform Room cabinet 6, drawer 8.

Selected Articles on Appellate Advocacy

Articles on oral advocacy can be found on a number of platforms inlcuding Lexis, Westlaw and in HeinOnline (PDF).  The following are a few titles on this topic.

Henry Gabriel, Preparation and Delivery of Oral Arguments in Appellate Courts, 22 Am. J. Trial Advoc. 571 (1999)

Brian Wice, Oral Argument in Criminal Cases: 10 Tips for Winning the Moot Court Round, 69 Tex. B.J. 224 (2006)

Karen J. Williams, Help Us Help You: A Fourth Circuit Primer on Effective Appellate Oral Arguments, 50 S.C. L. Rev. 591 (1999)
 
More Links:

Books and Treatises

In addition to the general treatises mentioned on the home page, these books may be helpful in preparing for your oral argument.