Rules

MULSS Internal Competitions Rules

Application of the Rules

1. These rules apply to internal competitions run by the Melbourne University Law Students’ Society (MULSS). 

2. By registering for an internal competition, all competitors agree to be bound by the rules outlined in this document. 

General Rules

3. MULSS internal competitions are only open to students undertaking a Juris Doctor (JD) at the University of Melbourne. 

4. For the First Year Mooting (FYM) and First Year Witness Examination (FYWE) competitions, competitors must be in their first semester of the Juris Doctor when they sign up.  

a. Despite the above, the Internal Competition Director/s may permit a student not in their first semester of the Juris Doctor to sign up to the FYM and FYWE competitions, but only if doing so does not provide an unfair advantage, considering the student’s experience and other relevant factors. 

5. Sign-up forms are only valid and effective if they are submitted and received by the relevant internal competitions co-opts by the time and date specified on the sign-up form. A form submitted after the deadline will not be processed. It is the responsibility of students to submit the sign-up form by the deadline. 

a. Where applicable, competitors must nominate preferred days to compete. 

b. Internal competitions co-opts will endeavour to allocate competitors their preferred days, albeit first preferences are not guaranteed. 

c. Internal competitions co-opts will try to ensure that every team that has submitted a sign-up form by the specified time and date is granted entry into the relevant competition.  

d. If the relevant internal competitions co-opts reasonably believe the number of teams who have signed up to a competition will prevent a competition from properly functioning (e.g., there are too many teams), they may prohibit a team or teams from entering a competition. The co-opt or co-opts must exercise such discretion on a fair and reasonable basis. There is no limit to the number of competitions a person may enter. However, no person may participate in more than one team for the same competition. 

6. There is no limit to the number of competitions a person may enter. However, no person may participate in more than one team for the same competition. 

Scheduling and Withdrawals

7. Internal competitions co-opts will endeavour to release the competition schedule and matchups for every round as early as possible, but no later than 48 hours prior to the scheduled commencement of that round. 

8. Teams must notify the relevant internal competitions co-opts of any unavailability as soon as possible. 

a. Internal competitions co-opts may elect to reschedule the team if it is viable to do so. The co-opts may reschedule the competition at their discretion, but they are under no obligation to do so.  

b. The co-opts have complete discretion in disqualifying any team for being unable to participate at the allocated time, but before doing so must consider the amount of notice the team gave to the co-opts, the amount of notice the co-opts gave the team for having to compete, and the explanation for being unable to participate. 

c. If it is not viable to reschedule the team, the team will be deemed as having forfeited. 

d. The co-opts’ decision to disqualify a team is final. 

Running of Competitions

9. Competition formats: 

a. Please see the relevant competition pages for the format of each internal competition. 

b. For an internal competition, the internal competitions co-opts may designate a round as a non-elimination round if it is reasonable to do so for reasons such as, but not limited to, a low number of participating teams. 

10. Each internal competition is run by the relevant internal competitions co-opts of each internal competition. Details of all internal competitions co-opts can be found on the competition pages of the MULSS website. Any queries, concerns or the like must be first directed to these co-opts. 

11. In the event of a procedural dispute, the decision of the Internal Competitions Director/s is final. 

12. No ties will be allowed in any internal competition. 

a. Where there is a tie of scores, the winners will be determined by the combined process of deliberation of the Judges and respective internal competitions co-opts. 

b. This decision is final. 

13. If an uneven number of teams win in a particular round, a ‘lucky loser’ team may be permitted to compete in the next round. The lucky loser will be the team which has lost by the least percentage in that round, on the basis of the formula (Winning Score – Losing Score) / Winning Score for all competitions. 

a. Internal competitions co-opts reserve the discretion to award multiple lucky losers or no lucky losers at all for any particular round.

Scoring

14. Numerical scores shall be awarded in each preliminary round. 

15. Scores shall not be disclosed to competitors in any round of the competition, nor shall judges inform teams of their scores.  

a. Competitors are prohibited from contacting judges or co-opts to request their numerical score. 

16. Internal competitions co-opts have discretion to determine how teams advance to the finals, including based on scores, wins, or a combination thereof. 

a. Co-opts will endeavour to inform competitors before the commencement of the competition how advancement to the finals will be determined.   

Conflict of Interest

17. Any competitor or judge who may have a conflict of interest in an upcoming round must notify the internal competitions co-opts or Internal Competitions Director/s as soon as reasonably possible. Conflicts of interest include, but are not limited to, close personal or professional relationships. 

18. The Internal Competition Director/s and relevant internal competitions co-opts have the discretion to disqualify, issue a caution, or deduct points from a team that fails to disclose a potential conflict of interest. 

Standards of Behaviour 

19. Competitors, judges, and other participants in internal competitions must not act in a way that jeopardises the integrity, administration, or operation of an internal competition. 

20. Competitors, judges, and other participants in internal competitions must not, without prior consent from the relevant internal competitions co-opts or the Internal Competitions Director/s, discuss or distribute competition materials to any other person, regardless of whether they are registered to compete in an internal competition. 

a. Competition materials include, but are not limited to, problem questions, memoranda, and bench notes.  

b. Any internal competition participant must disclose to the relevant internal competitions co-opts or Internal Competition Director/s, any material fact which could adversely affect the result of a match, the integrity of the competition or the scoring of teams. This includes, but is not limited to:  

i. that a competitor has received outside assistance, inadvertently or intentionally; 

ii. that a competitor is in possession of, or aware of, resources, or competition material which gives a competitor an advantage over others. 

Breach of Rules and Disciplinary Procedures

21. The Internal Competitions Director/s reserve the right to disqualify any team for a breach of any rule set forth in these rules, breach of any statute/policy/rule of the University of Melbourne and/or Melbourne Law School, contravention of the Internal Competitions Code of Conduct, or any unacceptable conduct. 

a. Unacceptable conduct includes, but is not limited to: 

i. failing to turn up to a competition; 

ii. delaying the progress of a competition; 

iii. failing to respect the authority of a judge;   

iv. breaching the above standards of behaviour; 

v. breaching the rules of the Law Library whilst engaged in preparation (e.g., hiding or defacing library materials); or 

vi. contravening the Internal Competitions Code of Conduct. 

b. The Internal Competitions Code of Conduct can be found in the ‘Competitions’ drop-down menu of the MULSS website. The Internal Competitions Director/s will hear complaints with regards to the above via the Code of Conduct and Associated Procedures protocol. A decision to act on a complaint is subject to the provisions stipulated in the Code of Conduct and Associated Procedures protocol. 

22. A judge’s decision is final and cannot be overruled. Any complaints regarding the behaviour, bias, or decision of a judge must be brought to the attention of the Internal Competitions Director/s. Such complaints must then be filed according to the Code of Conduct and Associated Procedures protocol. In the event the Internal Competitions Director/s agree/s with the substance of the complaint, they may at their total discretion reschedule another round. The Internal Competitions Director/s will only do so if they believe that the judge’s behaviour had a substantial impact on the outcome and will only exercise this discretion in extreme circumstances. 

23. All decisions made in relation to the running of internal competitions by the internal competitions co-opts are final. 

a. Despite the above, the Internal Competitions Director/s reserve the right to review any decision made by the internal competitions co-opts and alter the decision. 

24. Where a complaint about an internal competitions co-opt or fellow competitor arises, it must be brought to the attention of the Internal Competitions Director/s. Such complaints must then be filed according to the Code of Conduct and Associated Procedures protocol. The Internal Competitions Director/s and, where appropriate, the MULSS Leadership Team and relevant internal competitions co-opts, will follow up on any complaints via the process outlined by the Code of Conduct and Associated Procedures protocol. 

Last amended in July 2024

If you have any questions concerning the MULSS Competition Rules, please email the competitions director, Olivia Kowalishin, at competitions@mulss.com.