Legal minds on legal matters and whatever else strikes our fancy.
Amicus Briefs are submitted by non-parties to a case as a way of introducing information and concerns to the Court, demonstrating that a case’s outcome may have wider effects beyond the immediate parties to the suit. They can provide valuable assistance to the Court in its deliberations by presenting an argument or citing authorities not [...]
Federal appellate court practice can be a daunting experience, especially if you practice in multiple circuits. While the circuits share many common rules and practices, many of the circuits also have unique features that are important to be aware of. Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 28(a)(4) states that one of the things that must be [...]
Markle Interests, LLC v. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serv., filed on July 12th To read this Supreme Court petition, click the heading to open this post, then follow the link!
The Court released the final decisions of the 2016 Term on Monday, June 26th, bringing the total number of opinions issued by the mostly short-handed bench to 69. In contrast, the 2015 term saw the release of 80 merits opinions, indicating the empty seat did have a significant effect on justices as they filled the [...]
On this day in Supreme Court history, Congress enacted the Supreme Court Case Selections Act of 1988. The Act was designed to “improve the administration of justice by providing greater discretion to the Supreme Court in selecting the cases it will review, and for other purposes.” The Act amended 28 U.S.C. § 1257 to eliminate [...]
The Supreme Court receives thousands of briefs each term. In addition to the typical petitions, briefs in opposition, amicus briefs, and various other briefs, the Justices also receive applications for stays. These applications are typically requesting a stay of execution, but may request a stay on other types of orders as well. Applications for stays [...]
Hamilton v. Pallozzi, filed on June 15th To read this Supreme Court petition, click the heading to open this post, then follow the link!
Once a brief is finalized and ready for printing, one of the final decisions is the method of mailing for the service parties and the Court. Fortunately, Supreme Court Rule 29 provides the following straightforward guidelines for ensuring your document is filed and served in a timely manner. Filing The Court follows the mailbox rule–meaning [...]
Minn. Voters Alliance v. Mansky, filed on May 30th To read this Supreme Court petition, click the heading to open this post, then follow the link!
Alban v. Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, NYK Line (N. Am.) Inc., filed on May 23rd To read this Supreme Court petition, click the heading to open this post, then follow the link!