• The AI Moot Court (hereinafter referred to as “Moot Court” or “Competition”) is a moot court event involving teams of students from the Faculties of Law and Political Sciences of various universities in Portugal. This event is aimed at deepening their legal knowledge while providing a unique experience in both written and oral legal practice with the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence on a learning platform (the “AI Platform”)
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• The Competition consists of 2 (two) or 3 (three) phases, depending on the number of participants:
  
  a. A written stage, in which all teams submit written memoranda for both the applicant and the defendant based on a hypothetical legal case (the “First Phase”);
  
  b. Depending on the number of participants, an oral stage, in which the qualified teams make oral pleadings online before a jury composed of 2 (two) members, established in accordance with these Rules (the “Second Phase”); and
  
  c. A final oral stage consisting of knock-out rounds in which the qualified teams make oral pleadings in person before a Jury composed of 3 (three) members, established in accordance with these Rules (the “Final Phase”).
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• The Moot Court is an educational event consisting of a simulation of court proceedings involving a hypothetical case, where participating students prepare and present legal arguments as if they were in a real court setting. The goal of the Competition is for students to develop legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills, as well as introduce students to Generative Artificial Intelligence tools in a legal context.
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• The rules and procedures of the Moot Court should be interpreted in the light of the Competition’s object and purpose.
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• The rules of the Moot Court are subject to annual review by the Organisers. Participants are expected to consult the Rules in force at the time of each Competition.
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• The relevant Competition documents will be made available on www.vdaaimootcourt.com (the “AI Moot Court Website”)

• The Moot Court is organised by a committee composed of representatives of VdA, VdA Academia and Miles in the Sky (hereinafter referred to as the “Organisers”).
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• The Organisers are responsible for resolving all administrative issues, as well as providing all the information and resources necessary for the smooth running of the Competition.
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• The Organisers have the right to interpret and further develop the existing Rules, as well as to issue additional rules and updates, which will be applicable immediately.
   
• Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Universidade de Lisboa and Universidade Nova de Lisboa are the sponsors of the Competition.

• The Competition will be entirely conducted in English (both the written memoranda and oral pleadings).
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• The Organisers will announce a binding Competition timeline in accordance with these Rules. This timeline will be published on the AI Moot Court Website and will include the relevant dates of each phase of the Competition.
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• The Moot Court will be conducted in a hybrid format, according to the structure of the phases of the Competition.

1. The Competition is open to students enrolled in the Faculties of Law and Political Sciences of various universities in Portugal. Each team can include up to 2 (two) students enrolled in other faculties of universities in Portugal. Participating students must be (as at the time of the Moot Court) attending at least the second year of a bachelor’s degree (licenciatura) or undertaking a master’s degree (mestrado).
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2. Subject to Article 5 (1), the teams will consist of 4 (four) to 6 (six) members, divided into two sub-teams (one representing the applicant and one representing the defendant). The choice of the sub-teams only needs to be communicated prior to the oral stages.
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3. In order to participate in the Moot Court, applicant teams must register by completing and submitting the form available on the AI Moot Court Website within the deadline set out therein.
   Confirmation of the application will be acknowledged via e-mail to each member of the team, with a link to register on the AI Platform.
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4. Each team can register up to 2 (two) coaches.
   
   
5. The Organisers reserve the right to refuse or cancel the applicationand the registration of any team at their discretion, underthe terms of these Rules.
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6. Changes to a team’s composition are not allowed after registration and may result in disqualification. However, the Organisers may permit such changes under exceptional circumstances upon a detailed request.
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7. Any communications between the teams and the Organisers before the start of the Competition must follow the process defined on the AI Moot Court Website. After the start of the Competition, communications between the team and the Organisers must be done via the AI Platform’s communication channels.
   
   
8. The Competition has a maximum entry limit of 100 (one hundred)teams. The Organisers may, however, at their discretion, allow for the registration of more teams.
   
   
9. If the number of entries exceeds the limit established in the preceding paragraph, the teams shall be selected by order of their registration, with due regard to the representation of the participating universities.
   
   
10. The Moot Court involves the preparation of a written memorandum for the applicant and a written memorandum for the defendant, followed by oral pleadings. Teams participating in all stages for which they have qualified will receive a certificate of participation. For the avoidance of doubt, teams that do not fully attend any stage for which they have qualified will not receive a certificate of participation.
     
11. The Organisers reserve the right to cancel the Competition at their discretion.

1. Strict team anonymity is mandatory. Each team will be assigned an ID number for the Competition, which will be communicated after their application on the AI Moot Court Website.
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2. The name of the university to which the team members belong must not be disclosed, either directly or indirectly, in the written submissions or during the oral pleadings before the panel of judges.
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3. For breaches of anonymity occurring before or during the oral stage, the Organisers will impose penalties ranging from the deduction of points from the team’s overall score to disqualification, depending on the circumstances.

1. Each edition of the Competition will be launched with the publication of the Case on the AI Moot Court Website, in accordance with the specified timeline. The same Case will be used throughout the entire edition of the Competition.
   
   
2. Requests for clarification on the Case (up to 5 (five) questions per team), these Rules, or the structure of the Moot Court maybe submitted as defined on the AI Moot Court Website prior to the date mentioned therein.
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3. The Organisers’ replies to the teams’ requests for clarification will also be available on the AI Moot Court Website.

1. The teams are expected to carry out all necessary research, draft the memoranda, prepare and conduct the oral pleadings, and use the Generative AI tools made available. External assistance, including from faculty members, should be limited to general discussion of the Case, suggestions on research resources, and public presentation training.
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2. Plagiarism is forbidden. The Organisers reserve the right to disqualify any team on the grounds of alleged plagiarism.

1. All members of the participating teams are expected to participate in the First Phase.
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2. The teams that have received the highest scores in the First Phase will progress to the Second Phase. The number of teams qualifying for the Second Phase will depend on the number of teams participating in the Moot Court and will be disclosed on the AI Platform.
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3. The teams qualifying for the Second Phase must select 2 (two)members to represent the applicant and 2 (two) other members to represent the defendant in the oral pleadings, during both the Second Phase and Third Phase. The remaining team members, if any, will not be able to participate in the Second Phase or Third Phase. During the Second Phase, each team will compete in 2 (two) rounds against different teams.
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4. The 16 (sixteen) teams that have received the highest scores in the Second Phase, if this number is reached, or alternatively in the First Phase, will progress to the Final Phase. The FinalPhase consists of 4 (four) elimination rounds: eighth-finals, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final.
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5. The Second Phase will be conducted fully online over the course of 2 (two) days. The Final Phase will be held in person, at a venue to be announced by the Organisers, also over the course of 2 (two) days. The Organisers reserve the right to extend the Second Phase if necessary.
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6. Any draws between the teams are to be determined by the Organisers at their discretion.

1. Each team is required to submit 2 (two) written memoranda: one representing the applicant and one representing the defendant. Each document should be in Word format and named as follows:
   Team [XX] – Applicant [OR Defendant].
   
   
2. Each of the written memoranda, drafted in English, must include the following sections:
   
   a. Cover page, stating [Team [XX] – Applicant [OR Defendant] – Case name and number];
   
   b. Table of contents;
   
   c. A summary of the main arguments, not exceeding 2 (two) pages;
   
   d. The main argumentation section is restricted to a maximum of 15 (fifteen) numbered pages per memorandum. This limit does not include (i) the table of contents, (ii) the summary, and (iii) the list of references;
   
   e. List of references (books, law reviews, judgments, AI legal tools, etc.): the teams must ensure that their citation system allows for the clear and unambiguous identification of all referenced documents, including AI tools, and that this system is used consistently throughout both memoranda;
   
   f. All text must be in clearly spaced using 1.5 spacing, 2.5 cm right and left margins, and 3 cm top and bottom margins, in Calibri 11 pt font size and 10 pt font size for footnote references.
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3. The teams must submit their written memoranda to the Organisers, via the AI Platform, by the submission deadline.
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4. Once the deadline has passed, no team may revise, replace, add to, delete, or otherwise modify and resubmit its written memoranda.

1. In each round, the order of presentations will be as follows:
   
   a. Opening statements by the 2 (two) team members representing the applicant;
   
   b. Opening statements by the 2 (two) team members representing the defendant;
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   c. Rebuttal by 1 (one) or 2 (two) team members representing the applicant, limited to addressing any points made in the defendant’s opening statements;
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   d. Sur-rebuttal by 1 (one) or 2 (two) team members representing the defendant, limited to addressing any points made in the applicant’s rebuttal.
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2. Arguments may contain doctrinal and jurisprudential references, without prejudice to the teams’ argumentative originality being valued.
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3. No changes may be made to the facts of the case, nor can new facts be asserted. Only the presumption or possibility of the occurrence of certain facts, according to logical criteria drawn from the facts of the case, is permitted.
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4. No oral or written communication may take place between a team participating in the session and any coaches, assistants, or other members of the public.
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5. The judges may question the speakers at any time during their presentations.

1. Each team has a total time of 23 (twenty-three) minutes per round for their oral pleadings, including the time reserved for a rebuttal or sur-rebuttal (as applicable) as well as the time required to answer any questions that may be asked by the judges.
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2. The division of time between presentations should be agreed between the teams and announced to the judges at the start of the first presentation, with a maximum of 3 (three) minutes reserved for rebuttal and a minimum of 3 (three) minutes reserved for sur-rebuttal. Should the teams fail to reach an agreement, the judges will decide on the distribution of time with due regard to the principle of equal treatment of both teams and the maximum time allowed for rebuttal and sur-rebuttal.
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3. Without prejudice to the provisions of the previous paragraph, no team member should speak for more than 15 (fifteen) minutes in each session.
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4. The judges may grant a maximum time tolerance of 5 (five) minutes per team in each session.

1. Both the written memoranda and the oral pleadings will be evaluated by a panel of judges. The written memoranda will be evaluated with the assistance of AI tools.
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2. The panel of judges will consist of 2 (two) members in the SecondPhase, and of 3 (three) members in the Final Phase. The Organisers reserve the right to have panels of 2 (two) judges in the Final Phase, during the first rounds (eighth-finals and quarter-finals).
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3. The selection of the judges will be determined by the Organisers.
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4. The panel of judges presiding over the final, to be selected by the Organisers, will be composed of a professor from one of the participating universities, a lawyer from VdA, and a representative of Miles in the Sky.
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5. Each judge must maintain impartiality regarding the conduct and outcome of the Competition. Any affiliation that could be perceived, in the eyes of a reasonable observer, as a lack of impartiality is considered a “Conflict of Interest”. Such affiliations include personal or professional relationships between the judges and any university, coach, or team member participating in the Competition.
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6. A Conflict of Interest does not arise in the following situations:
   
   a. A judge knows a coach due to professional or personal affiliations, or any other reasons;
   
   b. A judge is an alumnus of one of the universities participating in the oral stage;
   
   c. A judge is an employee of one of the universities participating in the oral stage, provided that such employment is sufficiently remote from the team’s activities to eliminate any reasonable suspicion of partiality.

1. The judges will evaluate the teams according to the official grids provided by the Organisers.
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2. The judges will anonymously score the written memoranda, with a maximum of 100 (one hundred) points per team, based on:
   
   a. Knowledge of the facts and the law (maximum of 20 (twenty) points);
   
   b. Quality of analysis and extent and quality of the use of sources (maximum of 20 (twenty) points);
   
   c. Clarity and structure (maximum of 20 (twenty) points);
   
   d.Correctness of vocabulary, grammar, style (including formatting and regulatory limits), and citations and references (maximum of 20 (twenty) points); and
   
   e. Use of the AI Platform (maximum of 20 (twenty) points).
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3. The judges will score the oral pleadings, with a maximum of 100 (one hundred) points per team, based on:
   
   a. Knowledge of the facts and the law (maximum of 40 (forty) points);
   
   b. Organisation and time management (maximum of 40 (forty) points);
   
   c. Use of the AI Platform (maximum of 20 (twenty) points).
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4. The judges will impose the following penalties for any infractions of the Rules pertaining to the written memoranda:
   
   a. Exceeding the 15-page limit for the arguments section (excluding the summary) will incur the following penalties:
    ii. Exceeding by one page – 2 (two) points deducted
    iii. Exceeding by two pages – 4 (four) points deducted
    iv. Exceeding by three pages – disqualification
   
   b. The disclosure of identities by mentioning the names of team members or the university anywhere in the written memoranda will result in a 10 (ten) points deduction.
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   c. Failure to comply with other formal requirements, such as font size, line spacing, etc., will result in a 2 (two) points deduction.
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5. Non-compliance with any of the provisions of these Rules or of the general instructions announced by the Organisers may result in the application of any penalties deemed appropriate by the Organisers, including disqualification from the Competition.
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6. When announcing the winners and the teams’ progress in each phase, the Organisers will publish the scoring criteria on the AI Moot Court Website.

1. The winning team of the Competition is that whose sub-team achieves the best score in the final.
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2. The Best Speaker award will be given to the team member who receives the best evaluation from the jury convened to assess the participants’ oratory skills.
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3. The Best Written Memoranda Team will be awarded to the team that receives the highest average score for their written memoranda.
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4. The Winning Team of the Competition will receive a monetary prize in the amount of 8.000 €.
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5. The Best Speaker will be awarded an internship at VdA.
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6. The Best Written Memoranda will be published on the AI Moot Court Website and the team members will be awarded a summer internship at VdA.
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7. These awards will be announced at the closing ceremony of the Moot Court.

1. The Moot Court is an educational event and the personal data necessary for the holding of this event will be collected in accordance with the privacy policy available on the AI Moot Court Website.

1. All problems and materials created as part of the Moot Court are copyrighted, and any re-use requires permission of the Moot Court Organisers. Permission for educational use will not be unreasonably withheld. Authorship must always be attributed. Commercial use is prohibited.

1. In addition to the obligations set out in these Rules and any other obligations communicated through other means, each Participant must strictly comply with the safety rules and regulations for space and equipment use at VdA and VdA Academia’s physical premises during in-person activities.
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2. Without prejudice to the obligations referred to in the previous clause, each Participant is expressly prohibited from taking photographs or recording within VdA and VdA Academia’s physical premises, including any spaces, equipment, documents, or individuals.
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3. Each Participant undertakes to maintain the confidentiality regarding any information they become aware of due to their presence at VdA and VdA Academia’s physical premises, including information of a commercial, operational, or other nature. This obligation begins immediately upon acquiring the information and continues even after the Competition ends.
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4. The winning Team of the Competition agrees to give an interview and/or provide a testimonial about their experience and participation in the Competition.

PDF Version: AI.Moot Court Rules