Thirty-seven teams of undergraduates from 31 universities and colleges across Shanxi province will contend with each other at a moot court competition launched on Nov 7 in Jinzhong.

The competition organized by judicial branches of local government aims to further legal education among the young and raise public awareness of observing and using laws.

The sixth Shanxi Undergraduate Moot Court Competition opens at Taiyuan Normal University in Jinzhong on Nov 7 to further legal education among the young and raise public awareness of legal issues. [Photo/sx.people.com.cn]

Zhang Dongming, director of Jinzhong justice bureau, claimed that Jinzhong attaches great importance to legal education for the general public, particularly young people. Zhang expressed his hopes that college students will improve their understanding and practice through the moot court competition.

In a change to previous sessions during the past five years, this year's competition is divided into two divisions –– professional and open. There are 16 teams in the professional division and 21 in the open division.

There are representatives from 31 universities across the Shanxi province attending the opening ceremony of the moot court competition on Nov 7. The competition will be divided into professional and open divisions. [Photo/sx.people.com.cn]

Competitors majoring in law will take part in the professional division of the contest. The semi-finals of professional teams will be conducted in the form of a court debate in which the contestants will play the role of presiding judge, prosecutor and defender.

For the final stage of the competition, the entrants have to prepare cases, write legal arguments and arrange their roles in a courtroom to complete court proceedings independently based on specific topics.

In the open division of the competition, each team studying for non-legal majors will organize a moot court in the same manner as the final of the professional division. The results of the quarterfinals, semi-finals and the final for the open division will be decided following professional evaluation and public voting.

Essays on aspects of the law combined with related social cases will also be collected and selected from undergraduates and legal professionals during the competition. The issues discussed in these essays will be topics for the final of the professional division.

Competitors draw lots for the orders and topics of the competition at the opening ceremony in Jinzhong on Nov 7. Thirty-seven teams from 31 universities and colleges will compete for the awards. [Photo/sx.people.com.cn]