Supreme Court Mock Trial

Photo: Justices Alito, Ginsberg and Sotomayor residing over the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Supreme Court Mock Trial performance. Photo by Wall Street Journal's Jess Bravin

Last month I attended one of my favorite events of the year, the Shakespeare Theatre Company's "Supreme Court Mock Trial." It's an event where the best lawyers in the nation use the "facts" of a play to argue an issue before a Justice. A few years ago attorneys debated whether Hamlet could plead the insanity defense in his killing of his step-father (if Hamlet was still alive), presided over by Justice Kennedy. One one hand, Hamlet knowingly plotted out the murder...on the other hand, Hamlet talked to ghosts!

This year's event debated an issue from Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband, a political themed play. THREE JUSTICES presided this year, more than ever. The panel also contained four other famous judges. Since this is D.C., where I always have the sense that there are more lawyers in D.C. than skiers in Colorado, the event sold out within the first 10 minutes. I was glad to get a ticket! Since the Supreme Court does not allow cameras, to see the Justices is a rare treat. To see them seriously question a facetious play was a comical experience.

More about the event at WSJ.


The recent movie version of An Ideal Husband is pretty good.