briefs

/Tag: briefs
27 Dec, 2017

Oral Argument at the Supreme Court

2019-03-18T18:47:13-05:00December 27th, 2017|Tags: , , , |

Some attorneys view oral argument as a mere formality, particularly in courts where judges actually read party briefs in advance.  Counsel may think, “what can a few minutes of argument add to what a judge has already learned from reading pages-and-pages of my well researched, highly-persuasive brief?” But, as wise lawyers know, oral argument can [...]

25 May, 2016

Resources Every Pro Se Litigant Needs

2019-03-18T18:47:21-05:00May 25th, 2016|Tags: , , , |

When a litigant proceeds without legal counsel, they are said to be proceeding "pro se” or “on one’s own behalf.”  While the task of representing one’s own interests can be daunting, advancements in technology and transparency have made legal research easier than ever.  Much of the pertinent information, once only available to legal professionals from [...]

14 Jan, 2016

Friendly Persuasion: The Increase and Influence of Amici Curiae at the Supreme Court

2023-01-30T08:56:56-06:00January 14th, 2016|Tags: , , , , , |

  During the 2014-2015 Supreme Court term, amicus briefs were filed in 98 percent of merits stage cases.  A total of 781 amicus briefs – or almost 12 per case – were filed in controversies set for oral argument last year. “That’s more than double the briefs-per-case filed in the 1990s, and 12 times those [...]

12 Feb, 2015

Filing Amici Briefs in the Same-Sex Marriage Cases

2019-03-18T18:47:30-05:00February 12th, 2015|Tags: , , , , , |

  In January, the Supreme Court granted cert. review of the same-sex marriage bans in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee to determine whether state-level bans against gay marriage, as well as state laws forbidding the recognition of gay marriages performed in other states, violate the federal Constitution.  All four cases – #14-556, #14-562, #14-571, and [...]