Who is the target audience of an appellate opinion? Appellate counsel? Other lawyers? The public?
For appellate counsel, of course, the written opinion serves to explain the reasoning behind the
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Style and Format
Appellate Brief Brevity and Success On Appeal?
By Beth Scherer on
“Brevity is appreciated.” “A short brief can be very effective.” How many times have you heard appellate judges make statements like this about appellate briefs? While I can most certainly…
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When Does “Or” Mean “And”?
By Patrick M. Kane on
I’ve previously blogged about cases that remind me of the bar exam or law school exams. In reading a case released by the Court of Appeals yesterday, however, I was…
Judge Eagles (and Mack) Said It Best: Mistakes To Avoid When Filing Any Brief
By Beth Scherer on
While this blog is normally confined to appellate cases and issues, in a recent “text order,” Judge Catherine Eagles of the Middle District of North Carolina fired a warning…
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OMG!! DC Judge’s Benchslap w/r/t Acronyms
By Beth Scherer on
Last week I had to get out my decoder ring. I received a text message from a person 20 years my junior. In a world where dyslexic keypads seem to…
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Is Your Brief As Beautiful On An iPad As It Is On Paper?
By Matthew Nis Leerberg on
I relish the warmth of a freshly printed brief and the texture of the bond paper on which it is printed. But your audience–an appellate judge–may well be reading your…
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Appellate Rules Committee Publishes Updated Style Manual
By Matthew Nis Leerberg on
Picture this: it has been two years since the last time you filed a Petition for Writ of Supersedeas in the Court of Appeals. You generally recall what to do,…
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Recent Improvements to the NC Appellate Practice Blog
By Beth Scherer on
If you are a blog subscriber, you may have noticed some repetitive traffic from our blog mailing list this past week. We apologize for the inconvenience, but are pleased to…
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What’s in a date stamp? How little rules can cause big problems
By Matthew Nis Leerberg on
Whether you rarely practice in the North Carolina appellate courts or have a copy of the Appellate Rules tabbed, highlighted, and scribbled-upon, you have likely heard that there are many…
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Lawyers In Glass Houses Should Not Throw Stones. . . Or Use A Single-Spaced Brief To Point Out Their Opponent’s Appellate Rules Violations
By Beth Scherer on
A 2011 North Carolina Court of Appeals opinion provides yet another example of why attorneys should be careful when asking for sanctions or dismissal of an appeal for appellate rules…
Continue Reading Lawyers In Glass Houses Should Not Throw Stones. . . Or Use A Single-Spaced Brief To Point Out Their Opponent’s Appellate Rules Violations