expressions.

Etiquette too was scrupulously observed with the requisite "Your learned friends'' and "May it please your worships''.

And, just occasionally, there was the polite lunge for the opponent's jugular.

What was missing, however, were the wigs and gowns, not to mention the marathon speeches.

For these were law students locked in combat in a case specially made up for them to test their skills.

And if their arguments went on too long they were abruptly told "time's up!'' The traditional moot court at the Bermuda Musical & Dramatic Society's Daylesford theatre captivated a 40-strong audience on Thursday.

Held in memory of late Puisne Judge Mr. Hector Barcilon, four student volunteers this year pitted their wits against each other.

They were Ms Gigi Barritt, Mr. Paul Woolgar, Ms Megan Lewin, and Mr. Barclay Simmons.

Assessing them was Puisne Judge the Hon. Mr. Justice Ground, helped by lawyers Mr. Delroy Duncan and Ms Kathleen Sharpe.

The case involved a botched painting job.

A Mrs. Simons-Simmons was claiming $24,000 damages after her house was painted red instead of white, and the carpet ruined.

Self-employed painter Mr. Smythe was counterclaiming for $12,000 -- the contract price, and the cost of materials.

Ms Barritt and Mr. Woolgar, for Mrs. Simons-Simmons, said she had been rushed into signing the contract and told there was no need to read it.

It amounted to misrepresentation by Mr. Smythe, they argued.

"Who in their right mind would want the interior of their house painted red?'' asked Ms Barritt.

Mr. Simmons, however, countered: "Who in their right mind would ask for a contract to be written and then not read it?'' With Ms Lewin, he argued Mr. Smythe was covered by a contract clause absolving him from liability for "any damage howsoever caused''.

And there was nothing in the contract to say which colour the house should be painted.

To back up their arguments, the four fledgling legal eagles cited a wealth of authorities.

They were not afraid to ruffle each other's feathers, either.

It was just like the pros do it, and earned high praise from Mr. Justice Ground.

"We were very impressed by the presentations of everybody,'' he said.

Mr. Justice Ground said, had the case been real, the panel would probably have sided with Mrs. Simons-Simmons.

And he declared Ms Barritt and Mr. Woolgar as the winners in putting forward the best arguments.

"They just sqeaked home,'' he said.

The pair earned a plaque and $100 book tokens, while their courtroom adversaries received $50 book tokens.