Current Students > Student Activities > Writing Competitions > 2008 American Judges Association Twentieth Annual Law Student Essay Competition
2008 American Judges Association Twentieth Annual Law Student Essay Competition
DEADLINE: Postmarked no later than June 2, 2008.
The American Judges Association (AJA) announces its annual essay competition open to
all full-time law students enrolled in and attending an accredited law school in the
United States or Canada. The first prize for the contest is $3,000; second is $1,500;
and third is $1,000. First, second, and third place winners and their law schools
will be presented with an award certificate. The winning essay may be published in AJA's
journal, Court Review.
The following rules and regulations apply:
- Any student regularly enrolled in and attending classes at an
accredited law school in the United States
or Canada is eligible to enter.
Submission of a paper, and 10 copies, with
one cover page and the completed entry form constitutes entry. Entry forms
are available at
http://aja.ncsc.dni.us/htdocs/essaycontest_entryform.htm
- Essays submitted for the 2008 competition must be under the category
of "Search and Seizure Arising from Motor Vehicle Stops."
Essays determined not to meet this qualification will not be evaluated.
- The cover page of the paper shall include the title and the author's name,
current mailing and e-mail addresses and telephone number and shall be attached
only to the original essay. The author's name should appear only on the cover
page and the entry form. The title and page number must appear at
the top of each page of the paper.
- All papers shall be the original, unpublished work of an individual student,
but may have been prepared as a course assignment. Normal guidance of law school
faculty is permitted.
- Entry grants AJA the right of first publication of the paper and is agreement
to hold AJA and its members harmless from, and to indemnity them for, any
and all damages and costs relating to copyright infringement or plagiarism.
- Papers become the property of the American Judges Association and may be
published in the Court Review. Papers will not be returned unless requested
in writing at the time of entry and a self-addressed, postage-paid envelope is
provided.
- Papers should be typed, double-spaced, on 8-1/2 by 11 inch white paper, and
10-25 pages in length. Extensive footnoting or and noting is discouraged
and is included in the paper's length. Citations, footnotes, and endnotes
should be in accord with the current edition of A Uniform System of Citation.
- Papers will be evaluated considering: writing quality and clarity;
the interest of the topic and content to a broad segment of the judiciary;
analysis and reasoning; timeliness, originality, and creativity; quality and
use of research; and compliance with these rules.
- Papers will be evaluated, and prizes awarded, at the sole discretion of a
panel of AJA members who will have no knowledge of the author's name or law school.
- Winners will be publicly announced at the Association's 2008 Annual Educational
Conference in Maui, Hawaii, September 7-12, and thereafter notified by mail. All law
schools and authors will also be notified by mail.
- Entries must be postmarked no later than June 2, 2008, and sent to American
Judges Association, Law Student Essay Competition, 300 Newport Avenue,
Williamsburg, VA 23185-4147.
- First prize is $3,000, second prize is $1,500, and third prize is $1,000.
Prize monies are contributed by the American Judges Foundation.
For more information see http://aja.ncsc.dni.us. You can
also contact us at:
American Judges Association
300 Newport Avenue
Williamsburg, VA 23185-4147
Phone: (757) 259-1841
Fax: (757) 259-1520
E-mail: aja@ncsc.dni.us