In a 22-team field, 3Ls Nicholas Centrella, Brandon Curtin, and Alyssa Fixsen won the 41st J. Braxton Craven Moot Court Competition at UNC Law School in Chapel Hill. The team also won the Best Brief award.
The BC Law students bested teams from Richmond, Georgetown, Temple, Miami, Campbell, and, in the finals, a very strong team from Notre Dame. The competition took place Feb. 1-3.
The problem presented issues under the Fourth (warrantless blood draw from unconscious alleged drunk driver) and Fourteenth (constitutionality of bail scheme as applied to indigents) Amendments.
The finals were judged by Judge Carlos Lucero of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, Judge Louise Flanagan of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, and Robert Radar, Chief District Court Judge in North Carolina. The semi-final was judged by US Magistrate Judge Robert Numbers II of the Eastern District of North Carolina.
BC Law professor Thomas Barnico ’80, who coaches the Braxton Craven team, said the students are grateful to the many BC faculty and alumni—including Rosemary Daly ’87, director of advocacy programs—and the sitting and retired judges who prepared them in practice moots.
“It was my great pleasure to coach this team,” Barnico said.
Photo, from left: Alyssa Fixsen, Nicholas Centrella, Brandon Curtin