Justice Elizabeth Walker, Justice William Wooten, 2L Brooke Alexander, Chief Justice Evan Jenkins, 2L Dan Granfield, interim dean John Taylor, and Justice Tim Armstead. Photo courtesy of Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia @courtswv.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Two West Virginia University College of Law students recently argued at the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.
Brooke Alexander and Dan Granfield were finalists in the College's George C. Baker Cup Moot Court Competition on March 23.
They had traveled to the Supreme Court in Charleston, West Virginia, due to the pandemic. Traditionally, the final round of the Baker Cup is argued before the Justices in the Marlyn E. Lugar Courtroom at WVU Law.
Alexander and Granfield argued whether an ordinance against female toplessness violates the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution. In the end, the Justices awarded the Baker Cup trophy to Granfield, who argued to uphold the ordinance.
"It was an incredibly exciting experience," Granfield said. "This was our first in-person oral argument because of COVID-19 restrictions, and to have it be argued in front of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals is something I will never forget. The Justices were very generous with their time. It is clear how invested the Mountain State is in its law school."
Alexander and Granfield will now compete together on the WVU Law National Moot Court Team in 2021-22.
"Brooke and Dan performed admirably, earning well-deserved praise from the Justices,” said interim dean John Taylor, who was present for the arguments. “I greatly appreciate the Court’s working with us to make it possible to hold the Baker Cup final this year."
The Baker Cup competition is a program of the student Moot Court Board at WVU Law. The cup was first awarded in 1926 and 1927 to the Poffenbarger Club. The competition took a hiatus until 1968 when it was revived and became an annual tradition.
The competition is named for a prominent West Virginia citizen and jurist, George C. Baker (1862-1943), whose accomplishments included reforming the tax laws for coal, oil and gas leases resulting in millions of dollars in state income.
-WVU-
JJ/3/26/21
