Preparing an appendix is complicated Navigating the appellate process can be daunting, especially for attorneys who don’t frequently handle appeals. One crucial component of a successful appeal is the appendix to the appellate brief. The appendix provides the...
Mastering legal citations demonstrates professionalism If you’re an appellate attorney, writing accurate legal briefs is crucial, and that includes using the right citation terms. Two terms you’ll often encounter are id. and ibid.—but what’s the difference between...
Different circuits, different rules So you’re filing a brief in federal circuit court. You might think that you just need to follow the rules and provisions as established by the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure (FRAP) and your brief will be compliant. If only it...
Formatting a brief for a Texas court Filing a compliant, well-formatted brief demonstrates your professionalism, establishes credibility with the court, and ensures that your brief won’t be rejected for technical errors—such as not adhering to specifications around...
Brief rejections damage your reputation as an attorney It’s crucial for lawyers to steer clear of brief rejections in federal court to protect both their clients’ interests and their professional reputation. Rejected briefs not only cause frustrating...
The role of citations in a legal brief When writing a legal brief, lawyers use citations to scaffold a grounded, credible argument that persuades the reader to adopt their point of view. Relevant, accurate, perfectly formatted citations are a mark of an...