Is revenge best sought online?

The Hon John Dowd AO QC will sit on the bench for the last time as Southern Cross University Chancellor while judging in the high school mooting competition named in his honour.

The School of Law and Justice will hold the annual The Hon John Dowd AO QC High School Mooting Competition this Friday, May 16, from 9.30am with six teams entering the competition from four of the region’s high schools – John Paul College Coffs Harbour, Coffs Harbour Senior College, Murwillumbah High School and Alstonville High School.

At issue will be a defamation case in which a woman, June Jane, sought revenge in the online world where she made comments about her ex-boyfriend and posted photographs of him online. The extent to which material published in social media and online is defamatory will be the case argued by the students.

The judge in the original case found Ms Jane’s Facebook, Twitter and personal webpage materials defamatory and awarded damages to her former partner, Bryce Bruce. Jane’s appeal of that decision is the court battle being played out.

The senior high school students have been given all of the case details and during the course of the day each team will get the opportunity to act for both the appellant (June) and the respondent (Bryce).

The participating students are either studying or are interested in legal studies. Teams may have two or three members. Teams with three members will have two students present an oral argument and one will act as instructing solicitor, to take notes during the moot.

This event offers students an opportunity to prepare and present a logical oral argument in response to a particular legal problem. Students showcase their passion and skills in comprehending and expressing legal principles while learning how the law works. Those students in the role of barrister in the final moot will be provided with gowns.

The Chancellor is a former Supreme Court Justice of NSW, and NSW Attorney-General and a former leader of the NSW opposition. He will be one of the judges during the day along with Richard Harris, a law school academic and practising solicitor, and Ms Sophie Anderson, a respected local practitioner.

The winning school receives a prize of $500, and a plaque on the competition's perpetual trophy. The runner-up school receives a prize of $350. Alstonville High School is the defending champion.

Photo: The 2013 winners were Alstonville High School, represented by students Emily Entwistle, Alex Whitehead and Connor Floyd.