What is the Jessup?

Jessup is the world's largest moot court competition, with participants from roughly 700 law schools in 100 countries and jurisdictions. The Competition is a simulation of a fictional dispute between countries before the International Court of Justice, the judicial organ of the United Nations. One team is allowed to participate from every eligible school. Teams prepare oral and written pleadings arguing both the applicant and respondent positions of the case.

Jessup 2026

The Jessup 2026 Problem will presents the following issues: (1) Who has the right to intervene in proceedings before the International Court of Justice? (2) What are the rights of indigenous peoples relating to rare earth minerals found in their land? (3) What are “the general principles of law recognized by civilized nations”? and (4) When is a state immune from the domestic jurisdiction of another state when it has caused economic harm to citizens of that state?

The contents of this video should not be considered as part of the Jessup Problem and does not alter it in any way. No one should rely on this video as a reliable source of fact for the Jessup 2025 Problem.

Competition Materials

Coming soon

Official Schedule

National and Friendly Rounds Schedule

White & Case International Rounds

Rules

Jessup 2026 Rules will be published soon

Rule Supplements

Rule Supplements will be posted on a rolling basis as they are approved.

List of Approved Acronyms as set out in Rule 5.17(b)

Coming soon

List of Approved Acronyms as set out in Rule 5.17(b)(i)

(D)ARSIWA (Draft) Articles on the Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts
ACHPR African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
ACtHPR African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights
AU African Union
CJEU Court of Justice of the European Union
ECHR European Convention on Human Rights
ECtHR European Court of Human Rights
ECJ European Court of Justice
ECOSOC United Nations Economic and Social Council
ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States
EU European Union
GATT General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
HRC UN Human Rights Council
HRComm UN Human Rights Committee
IACHR Inter-American Commission of Human Rights
IACtHR Inter-American Court of Human Rights
ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
ICESCR International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
ICTY International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
ICJ International Court of Justice
ICSID International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
ILC International Law Commission
ILO International Labour Organization
IMO International Maritime Organization
ITLOS International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
OAS Organization of American States
OAU Organisation of African Unity
PCA Permanent Court of Arbitration
PCIJ Permanent Court of International Justice
UDHR Universal Declaration of Human Rights
UN United Nations
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNGA United Nations General Assembly
UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
UNSC United Nations Security Council
VCCR Vienna Convention on Consular Relations
VCDR Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations
VCLT Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties
WTO World Trade Organization

List of Approved Acronyms as set out in Rule 5.17(b)(ii)

AIS Ambrosian Institute of Science
EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone
GDP Gross Domestic Product
HRI Human Rights International
ICPPED International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance
ILSA Implementing the Law for a Safer Ambrosia
IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
OCDP Organization for Cooperation and Development in the Paine
UNCJISP United Nations Convention on Jurisdictional Immunities of States and Their Property
UNCLOS United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
USD United States Dollar

Jessup 2026 Research Sponsors