A practical guide to appellate advocacy / Mary Beth Beazley.
2010
KF251 .B42 2010 (Map It)
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Details
Author
Title
A practical guide to appellate advocacy / Mary Beth Beazley.
Published
Austin : Wolters Kluwer Law & Business ; New York : Aspen Publishers, 2010.
Call Number
KF251 .B42 2010
Edition
Third edition.
ISBN
9780735585102 (pbk.)
0735585105 (pbk.)
0735585105 (pbk.)
Description
xxvii, 404 pages : forms ; 26 cm
System Control No.
(OCoLC)643570172
Note
Includes index.
Record Appears in
Table of Contents
Using the Examples in This Book
xix
Acknowledgments to the First Edition
xxiii
Acknowledgments to the Second Edition
xxv
Acknowledgments to the Third Edition
xxvii
ch. One
Introduction
1
1.1.
Before We Begin
1
1.2.
Know Your Audience
3
1.3.
Follow an Effective Writing Process
6
1.4.
How to Use This Book
8
1.5.
Summary
10
ch. Two
Appellate Jurisdiction and Standards of Review
11
2.1.
Jurisdiction in Courts of Last Resort
12
2.2.
Jurisdiction in Intermediate Courts of Appeals
13
2.3.
Appellate Standards of Review
14
2.3.1.
Purpose and Meaning of Appellate Standards of Review
15
a.
Clearly Erroneous
16
b.
De Novo
17
c.
Abuse of Discretion
17
d.
Other Appellate Standards
18
2.3.2.
Identifying the Appropriate Appellate Standard of Review
18
2.3.3.
Format Considerations
20
2.4.
"Pleading Standards" or Standards of Review in Motion Briefs
21
2.4.1.
Motions to Dismiss
22
2.4.2.
Motions for Summary Judgment
24
2.4.3.
Identifying the Appropriate Motion Standard of Review
25
2.4.4.
Incorporating Motion Standards into Your Argument
26
2.5.
Avoiding Confusion
28
2.5.1.
Government Action Standards of Review
28
2.5.2.
Multiple Standards of Review in the Same Case
29
2.6.
Summary
30
ch. Three
Before You Write
33
3.1.
Creating an Abstract of the Record
34
3.2.
Planning Your Research
38
3.2.1.
Begin at the Beginning: Decide What Questions You Need to Answer
38
3.2.2.
Broadening Your Horizons (You Can Compare Apples and Oranges)
41
3.2.3.
The Abstraction Ladder
43
3.2.4.
Using the Abstraction Ladder in Legal Research
44
3.2.5.
Identifying a Theme for Your Argument
45
3.2.6.
Identifying Valid Authority
46
a.
Relevant Facts
47
b.
Relevant Legal Issues
47
c.
Relevant Sources
48
I.
Legal Sources
48
II.
"Extra-Legal" Sources
49
III.
Internet Sources
50
3.3.
Executing Your Research Plan
51
3.3.1.
Researching Statutory Issues
52
3.3.2.
Writing to Courts of Last Resort
53
3.3.3.
Harvesting Arguments from Nonmandatory Authorities
54
3.4.
Knowing When to Stop
58
3.5.
Summary
59
ch. Four
Facing the Blank Page
61
4.1.
Finding Structure
61
4.1.1.
Using Existing Rules and the "Phrase-That-Pays" to Structure Your Argument
62
4.1.2.
Using Your Research to Help You Structure Your Argument
64
4.1.3.
Using Policy-Based Rules in Your Argument
68
4.1.4.
Using a Reverse Roadmap to Structure Your Argument
69
4.1.5.
The Working Outline
70
4.2.
Using "Private Memos" to Quiet Your Inner Demons and Prevent Writer's Block
71
4.3.
Summary
72
ch. Five
One Piece at a Time: Drafting the Argument
75
5.1.
Using an Analytical Formula
75
5.1.1.
State Your Issue as a Conclusion
78
5.1.2.
Provide the Rule
79
a.
Stating Established Rules
80
b.
Choosing Among Two or More Rules
80
c.
Using Inductive Reasoning to Find and Articulate Legal Rules
82
5.1.3.
Explain the Rule
84
5.1.4.
Apply the Rule to the Facts
86
a.
Apply Rules, Not Cases
86
b.
Facts Are Relevant to Questions of Law
87
c.
Sometimes Statutory Language Is a Fact
89
5.1.5.
Make the Connection
90
5.2.
When Not to Provide a CREXAC Analysis
90
5.2.1.
Ignore Issues
91
5.2.2.
Tell Issues
92
5.2.3.
Clarify or CRAC Issues
93
5.2.4.
Prove or CREXAC Issues
95
5.3.
Dealing with Your Opponent's Arguments
95
5.4.
Summary
98
ch. Six
Practice Pointers: Using Case Authority Effectively
101
6.1.
Providing Appropriate Detail in Case Descriptions
102
6.1.1.
Making Case Descriptions as Succinct as Possible
104
a.
Focus
104
b.
Using Language Effectively
106
c.
Verb Tense in Case Descriptions
107
6.1.2.
Writing and Using Effective Parenthetical Descriptions
108
6.1.3.
Accuracy in Case Descriptions
111
6.2.
Using Quotations Effectively in Case Descriptions
114
6.2.1.
Not Enough Context
114
6.2.2.
Too Much Quoted Language
115
6.3.
Using Language Precisely When Analogizing and Distinguishing Cases
119
6.4.
Dealing with Nonprecedential, or "Unpublished," Decisions
121
6.5.
Using Citations Effectively
123
6.5.1.
When to Cite
123
6.5.2.
Distinguishing Between Authorities and Sources
124
6.5.3.
Where to Cite
126
6.5.4.
Using Effective Sentence Structures to Accommodate Citation Form
128
6.5.5.
Avoiding String Citations
129
6.5.6.
Cases That Cite Other Cases
131
6.5.7.
Importance of Pinpoint Citations
132
6.6.
Summary
133
ch. Seven
Seeing What You Have Written
135
7.1.
Focusing Your Revision: Using the Self-Graded Draft
135
7.1.1.
Background
136
7.1.2.
Completing the Self-Grading
138
7.2.
Common Self-Grading Tasks and Explanations
138
7.2.1.
Identify the Focus of Each CREXAC Unit of Discourse
138
7.2.2.
Identify the Phrases-That-Pay Within Each CREXAC Unit of Discourse
139
7.2.3.
Identify Cited Authorities
141
7.2.4.
Identify the Explanation of Each Focus
141
7.2.5.
Identify Your Client's Facts
142
7.2.6.
Identify the Application of Each Focus to Your Client's Facts
142
7.2.7.
Identify the Connection-Conclusion
142
7.2.8.
Create a Separate Focus List
143
7.2.9.
Write a Final Comment
144
7.3.
Summary
144
ch. Eight
Following Format Rules
145
8.1.
Length Requirements
147
8.2.
Typefaces and Margins
148
8.3.
Filing Requirements and Number of Copies
148
8.4.
Document Format Requirements and Service Requirements for Appellate Briefs
149
8.4.1.
Cover Page
150
8.4.2.
Issue
150
8.4.3.
Parties to the Proceeding
151
8.4.4.
Table of Contents
151
8.4.5.
Table of Authorities
151
8.4.6.
Opinions Below
152
8.4.7.
Jurisdiction
152
8.4.8.
Relevant Enacted Law
153
8.4.9.
Standard of Review
154
8.4.10.
Statement of the Case
155
8.4.11.
Summary of the Argument
155
8.4.12.
The Argument
155
8.4.13.
The Conclusion
155
8.4.14.
Signature
156
8.4.15.
Certificate of Service
157
8.4.16.
Certificate of Compliance
157
8.4.17.
Appendix
158
8.5.
Document Format Requirements and Service Requirements for Motion Briefs
158
8.5.1.
Caption
159
8.5.2.
Issue
159
8.5.3.
Parties to the Proceeding
159
8.5.4.
Table of Contents
160
8.5.5.
Table of Authorities
160
8.5.6.
Opinions Below
161
8.5.7.
Jurisdiction
161
8.5.8.
Relevant Enacted Law
161
8.5.9.
Standard of Review or Pleading Standard
162
8.5.10.
Statement of the Case
162
8.5.11.
Summary of the Argument
162
8.5.12.
The Argument
163
8.5.13.
The Conclusion
163
8.5.14.
Signature
164
8.5.15.
Certificate of Service
164
8.5.16.
Certificate of Compliance
165
8.5.17.
Appendix
165
8.6.
Summary
165
ch. Nine
Special Teams: Issue Statements, Statement of the Case, Summary of the Argument, Point Headings
167
9.1.
Writing the Issue Statement
168
9.1.1.
Motion Brief Introductions
168
9.1.2.
Questions Presented
169
a.
Elements to Include
170
b.
Persuasive Questions Presented
172
c.
Problems to Avoid
174
i.
Assuming Elements at Issue
174
ii.
Overlong Questions
176
d.
Summing Up
176
9.2.
Statements of the Case
177
9.2.1.
Formal Requirements
177
9.2.2.
Organizing the Fact Statement
179
9.2.3.
Making the Fact Statement Persuasive
180
a.
Positions of Emphasis
185
b.
Pointillism
185
c.
Spending the Reader's Time, Saving the Reader's Energy
186
9.2.4.
Special Considerations for Motion Brief Fact Statements
187
9.2.5.
Summing Up
189
9.3.
Summary of the Argument
189
9.4.
Point Headings
192
9.4.1.
Format and Function
192
9.4.2.
Drafting the Point Headings
195
9.4.3.
The Relationships Between and Among Point Headings
196
9.4.4.
Summing Up
198
9.5.
Summary
198
ch. Ten
Six Degrees of Legal Writing: Making Your Document Reader-Friendly
199
10.1.
Find Your "Kevin Bacon"
200
10.2.
Install a Symbolic Template to Help Your Reader and Your User
203
10.2.1.
Topic Sentences
204
a.
Including the Phrase-That-Pays in Each Topic Sentence
205
b.
Using Legally Significant Categories in Topic Sentences
207
10.2.2.
Headings
209
10.2.3.
Providing Context with Legal Backstory and a Roadmap
210
a.
What's Already Happened: The Legal Backstory
211
b.
What's Coming Next: The Roadmap
213
10.2.4.
Explicit Connection-Conclusions
216
10.3.
Summary
217
ch. Eleven
Exploiting Opportunities for Persuasion
219
11.1.
Opportunities for Persuasion
219
11.2.
How Not to Persuade
220
11.3.
Choosing Issues Responsibly
222
11.4.
Exploiting Positions of Emphasis
223
11.4.1.
Persuading with Large-Scale Organization
224
11.4.2.
Persuading Within Each Issue
225
11.4.3.
Persuasive Paragraph Structure
226
11.4.4.
Persuading with Sentence Structure
228
a.
Subject-Verb Combinations
228
i.
Nominalizations
229
ii.
Active and Passive Voice
230
b.
Independent and Dependent Clauses
232
c.
Using Short Sentences for Emphasis
233
11.4.5.
Effective Word Choice
233
11.4.6.
Persuasive Punctuation
234
a.
The Semicolon
235
b.
The Dash
236
c.
The Colon
236
11.5.
Avoiding Spelling, Grammatical, and Typographical Errors
237
11.6.
Credibility Through Document Design
238
11.6.1.
Typeface
238
11.6.2.
Citations and Emphatic Text: Underlining, Italics, Bold Faced Type, and Capitalization
239
11.6.3.
Justification
242
11.6.4.
Effective Tables
242
11.7.
Summary
244
ch. Twelve
Polishing
245
12.1.
Methods to Use on the Computer
247
12.2.
Methods to Use on the Hard Copy
249
12.3.
Proofreading Your Revisions
250
12.4.
The Last Thing to Do with the Document
251
12.5.
Summary
251
ch. Thirteen
Oral Argument
253
13.1.
Purpose of Oral Argument
254
13.2.
Format
255
13.3.
Intellectual Preparation: What Do You Need to Know?
255
13.3.1.
Deciding What Points to Argue
256
13.3.2.
Gathering Information
257
13.4.
Preparation of Written Materials: What Should You Bring to the Courtroom?
259
13.5.
Presenting the Argument
261
13.5.1.
Introduction
261
13.5.2.
The Argument Itself
266
13.5.3.
The Conclusion
266
13.6.
Handling Questions from the Bench
267
13.7.
Rebuttal
270
13.8.
Word Use
272
13.9.
Public Speaking Tips
273
13.10.
Summary
275
ch. Fourteen
Moot Court Competitions
277
14.1.
Typical Competition Requirements
278
14.2.
Differences Between Moot Court Competitions and "Real Life"
279
14.3.
Choosing Which Side to Brief
280
14.4.
Writing the Brief
281
14.4.1.
Dividing Up the Work
281
14.4.2.
Critiquing Your Teammates' Work
283
14.4.3.
Polishing the Brief
284
14.5.
Practice Arguments
285
14.5.1.
The Introduction
286
14.5.2.
Planning for Awkward Moments
287
a.
The Cold Court
287
b.
Dealing with Opponents' Misstatements of Law or Facts
288
14.5.3.
The Conclusion
290
14.6.
Professionalism
291
14.7.
Summary
292
APPENDIX A
For Reference: Citation Form and Punctuation Information
295
A.1.
Putting Citations in Their Place
295
A.1.1.
When to Cite
295
A.1.2.
When Not to Cite
296
A.2.
Common Case Citation Formats
296
A.2.1.
Long Form
296
A.2.2.
Short Form
298
A.2.3.
Citing Nonmajority Opinions
299
A.3.
Changing Sentence Structure to Accommodate Citation Form
299
A.4.
Statutory Citations
301
A.5.
Common Punctuation Problems
302
A.5.1.
Apostrophe Problems
303
a.
Common Homonym Problems
303
b.
Rules of Possessives
304
A.5.2.
Semicolon Use
305
A.5.3.
Common Comma Problems
306
APPENDIX B
For Reference: Court Website Information
309
APPENDIX C
Sample Briefs
311
Petitioner: Minnesota v. Carter
313
Respondent: Minnesota v. Carter
343
Petitioner: Miller v. Albright
361
Defendant: Garrett v. Kirkby
383
Index
391