This comprehensive Law in a Nutshell: Appellate Advocacy provides expert explanation of the rules that govern appellate advocacy. This work is designed to assist the advocate in formulating arguments, oral or written, before appellate courts. The book addresses the appellate process, the nature and characteristics of various kinds of arguments and how different levels of review and the kind of case before the court influence the arguments to be advanced. There are extensive chapters on brief writing and oral argument. The book concludes with advice on learning from one's own experience, whether as an appellate advocate or in other professional work.
Topics covered include:
 Appellate Process: Overview, Review Standards, Record, Jurisdiction;
Multi-Judge Panels;
Levels of Review: State Intermediate Courts, State Courts of Last Retort, Federal Courts of Appeals, Supreme Court;
Taxonomy of Cases: Importance of Classification, Procedure;
Arguments: In General, Fact;
Doctrine, Policy;
The Brief: Formalities, Petitioner, Respondent, Reply Briefs, Amicus, Questions Presented, Front Matter, Point Headings, Statement of Facts, Summary of Argument, Footnotes;
Oral Argument: Preparation, Formalities, Style, First Petitioner, Second Petitioner, First Respondent, Second Respondent, Rebuttal, Authority, Hot and Cold Benches, Questions;
Planning the Oral Argument, Learning From Experience, Planning, Performing and Reviewing Recursively (The Brief);
Integrity of Argument.
Don't let their small size fool you: West's Law in a Nutshell series represents the depth and breadth of the law in over a hundred different areas. Nutshells have a loyal following who swear by their succinct and easy to understand treatment of the law, and this particular title is a great illustration that learning the law doesn't have to be dry and confusing. |
