Appellate Briefwriting: Some Golden Rules
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Authors
Bright, Myron H.
Issue Date
1984
Volume
17
Issue
Type
Journal Article
Language
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
FIRST PARAGRAPH(S)|Reading the parties' briefs in preparation for oral argument constitutes a major part of a federal appellate judge's work. In the sixteen years since I was appointed to the Eighth Circuit, the caseload of the court has increased fourfold, with the result that my colleagues and I will each read in the neighborhood of 25,000 pages of briefs each year. My experience with thousands of briefs, amounting to tens of thousands of pages, leads me to offer a few suggestions to the briefwriter as to what judges, as briefreaders, may look for in a brief. I have formulated eight simple suggestions for the briefwriter. I deem these rules of substantial importance and choose to call them "Golden Rules." |At the outset, I emphasize the several different purposes that briefs serve during the course of a typical appeal. As a preliminary matter, the briefs give the court some idea of the complexity, difficulty, and importance of the case...
Description
Citation
17 Creighton L. Rev. 1069 (1983-1984)
Publisher
Creighton University School of Law