The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia is visiting West Virginia Universitys College of Law Tuesday (March 11) to hear cases and judge a student competition.

The court hearings will be from 10 a.m.-noon in the Marilyn E. Lugar Courtroom. At 1:30 p.m., justices will rule on the courtroom performance of two second-year law students in the colleges annual George C. Baker Cup moot court competition. The public is invited to both events.

This is the 18th time the Supreme Court has visited WVU s College of Law for the competition. A moot court is a mock court where hypothetical cases are tried for the training of law students.

The Baker Cup represents the very best of what is offered at the West Virginia University College of Law,said andre douglas pond cummings, faculty adviser to the moot court board.

The two best student oral advocates in the Baker Cup competition try to persuade the justices to their side of the debate. They argue a fictitious set of circumstances. This year, their mock arguments deal with the United States sentencing guidelines and upward departures. Justices will vote to determine the winner of the Baker Cup.

It is always an honor to host our Supreme Court at the WVU College of Law and to allow our student body this unparalleled learning experience,cummings said.The court listens to oral arguments regarding real appeals cases, providing our students with an intimate look at how justice is administered in West Virginia.

This experience is invaluable to our students, particularly our first year students who spend much of their early time in law school learning about the law from books,he said.

The states high court will hear appeals on cases such as the disputed disposition of an estate, jurisdictional authority of a county zoning board, a petition for an appointment of trustees for a cemetery and a West Virginia womans appeal on her sexual assault convictions.

The cases (as listed on the argument docket) are:

• Steven W. Chip Dantzic, David Dantzic, et al. v. Timothy Dantzic, et al. Timothy Dantzic appeals the circuit courts order which found that a decedent died partially testate and partially intestate, and the circuit courts order which appointed an appraiser to value certain real property.

• Far Away Farm LLC v. Jefferson County Board of Zoning Appeals, et al. Far Away Farm LLC appeals the circuit courts decision which affirmed the decision of the Jefferson County Board of Zoning Appeals. The board denied a conditional use permit sought for the purpose of subdividing and developing 122.88 acres in a designated rural district.

• In Re: Petition for Appointment of Trustees for Woodlawn Cemetery Defendant cemetery appeals from the circuit courts order denying its motion to reconsider and from the circuit courts earlier order granting the petition for the appointment of trustees for Woodlawn Cemetery.

• State of West Virginia v. Mindy Keesecker Plaintiff appeals from her convictions on six counts of third-degree sexual assault. Defendant raises various evidentiary and trial errors.

Visithttp://www.state.wv.us/wvsca/calendar/march08.htmfor a more detailed look at the cases.

The Baker Cup competition was created in 1926 by George Coleman Baker, an 1886 graduate of the College of Law. His son, Judge Charles Baker, is also an alumnus. In honor of both men, Bakers daughters, Betty Sue Armistead and Mary-Jane Baker English, established the George C. Baker Cup Endowment in 1980.