Appellate Practice & Procedure

Catalog description

Enrollment Limit: 25 Course Requirement: paper Satisfies Upper Level Writing Requirement This course is designed to give students a deeper understanding of appellate practice and procedure in the federal and (to a lesser extent) Pennsylvania courts. We?ll start with an overview of the court systems, then move through the appellate process step by step, from noticing the appeal through adjudication and rehearing, studying the relevant procedural rules as we go. Along the way, we?ll learn about some of the thorniest issues lawyers face on appeal: who can appeal, when, and from which orders? How are issues preserved for appellate review? Under what circumstances will a court of last resort hear your case? Students will also gain exposure to the practice of appellate litigation. Classes?and the final project?will focus on brief writing and oral advocacy. We?ll also learn how courts decide cases and write opinions. And we?ll learn from experienced practitioners of the appellate bench and bar, both in class and in action in the courtroom.