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Appellate Advocacy Blog
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Appellate Advocacy Blog Weekly Roundup Friday April 17

By Daniel Real

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Each week, the Appellate Advocacy Blog Weekly Roundup presents a few tidbits of news and Twitter posts from the past week concerning appellate advocacy. As always, if you see something during the week that you think we should be sure to include, feel free to send a quick note to either (1) Dan Real at DReal@Creighton.edu or on Twitter (@Daniel_L_Real) or (2) Catharine Du Bois at DuBoisLegalWriting@gmail.com or on Twitter @CLDLegalWriting.

 
SUPREME COURT OPINIONS AND NEWS:
The United States Supreme Court announced this week that it will hear oral arguments by telephone conference in May.  The Court noted that all Justices would participate remotely, to keep with public health guidance in response to COVID-19.  The Court also indicated that it anticipates providing a live audio feed of the arguments to news media.
 
More on this:
  • CNN reported on the Court’s historic plans to livestream argument in the cases, including three centered on President Donald Trump’s financial records.
  • The Wall Street Journal had an editorial  about the historic step.
The Court also relaxed some of its normal requirements for paper filings.
 
FEDERAL APELLATE COURT OPINIONS AND NEWS:
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals this week issued an order denying an emergency motion to stay a Texas court’s temporary restraining order that prevented enforcement of the Texas Governor’s emergency public health measure preventing medication abortion procedures.
APPELLATE ADVOCACY TIPS:
The Washington Times had an article this week discussing how Zoom is quickly becoming the primary platform adopted by the nation’s judiciary to conduct video hearings.
An article on Wordrake discusses the importance of careful editing of legal documents specifically for readability on electronic platforms.  The need to consider variations in how a reader processes the material when reading on an electronic device, as opposed to a printed page, has already been an area of increasing concern, but it is even more prominent of a concern with the sudden shift to remote working environments.
APPELLATE JOBS:
The United States Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit has posted a position for “Special Counsel to the Clerk,” seeking a highly qualified attorney to interact with judges and chambers’ personnel, providing procedural and substantive advice to the Court and Clerk’s Office staff.