Something Legal This Way Comes: A Trial For "Macbeth"'s Weird Sisters

Tonight (June 19, 2017), the Shakespeare Theatre Company held its semi-annual mock trial. Tonight the problem was derived from Macbeth, petitioners were the Weird Sisters, and respondent was the Kingdom of Scotland. 

The government of Scotland charged the Weird Sisters with practicing witchcraft, and aiding and abetting Macbeth with the murder of Duncan. Here's a link to the scenario. 

Here's a link to petitioners' brief; here a link to respondents' brief. 

Presiding justice: Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Via @KevinDaleyDC, @ThisInHaste.

The Windmills In His Mind: Moot Court Proceeding Examines Don Quixote's Competency

Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg presided (as Chief Justice) over the Supreme Court of La Mancha in a moot court proceeding at the Shakespeare Theatre Company on May 11. Other justices and judges involved included Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, Chief Judge Merrick Garland and Judge Patricia Millett of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the U.S. District Court of Appeals. Thomas Goldstein (Goldstein Russell) represented Don Quixote; Carter Phillips (Sidley Austin) argued for the interests of the Family Court of La Mancha and Don Quixote's niece Antonia, who wished to be named his guardian.

The parties advocated for and against the competency of one Don Quixote de la Mancha. The issue: is he so out of touch with reality that he needs a court-appointed guardian? Justice Ginsburg ultimately decided "no," because dreamers like him allow civilization to progress. Prior moot courts put on by the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Bard Association have included events inspired by Shakespeare's Henry V and Measure for Measure, and Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband. More here.

More about May 11th's event here from Tony Mauro at the Blog of Legal Times.

Legal Times notes that this year's Shakespeare Theatre Company's mock trial presented the spectacle of Theodore Olsen, former solicitor general of the United States, and now with the firm of Gibson, Dunn, & Crutcher, defending President Edward Plantagenet, Jr. against impeachment charges brought by the House of Representatives. Acting as counsel for the House was Deputy Solicitor General Michael Dreeben. Among the judges for the trial was Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Here's more about the trial from the company's website. The trial was based on Christopher Marlowe's Edward II.

In past years the STC has put on mock trials involving Hamlet.