Recent stats show an interesting trend in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit: oral arguments are held in just 13% of cases. This differs from other circuits like the D.C. Circuit, where almost 50% of cases get...more
It’s no secret that judges in North Carolina’s state and federal appellate courts don’t reach for printed briefs much anymore (the Chief Judge of the Fourth Circuit, Albert Diaz, has said that he and his colleagues routinely...more
Trials happen fast. Trial counsel are rightly preoccupied with preparing to give opening statements or closing arguments, preparing to examine or cross-examine witnesses, or simply keeping track of admitted exhibits....more
You don't need us to tell you that trials are increasingly rare.
So when heading to trial, trial counsel must know their client's story and must be prepared to tell that story to the trier of fact—a feat that requires...more
Appellate practice can be challenging -
In complicated cases, it's made all the more challenging by the word limits often imposed by the pertinent rules of procedure. For example, in the North Carolina Court of Appeals,...more