Welcome to NILE Court, the venue where aspiring lawyer advocates will have the opportunity to engage in lively, creative and substantive debates about current legal issues. Questions will be posted on a weekly basis, with the best answers posted to the forum the following week. To participant in the NILE Court debates you will need to become a registered user to this private access forum. If you are a current law student, register for the NILE Court here to advance your legal advocacy skills by engaging in online legal and policy debates among your colleagues from across nation.

CURRENT QUESTION BEFORE NILE COURT:

Jamil, a 16 year old boy was born into a gang affiliated family. He had only minor scrapes with the law until he and his 19 year old next door neighbor decided to avenge the death of a close friend. Jamil pulled the trigger and killed a 16 year old rival gang member that he believed to be the triggerman responsible for his friend’s death. Jamil was tried as an adult and given a life sentence without parole.

Can an argument be made under the Constitution to prohibit the sentencing of juvenile offenders to life without parole?