Appellate Advocacy

• Semester: Fall 2022
• Course ID: 387W
• Credit Hours: 3
• Unique: 29239

Description

This three-hour course teaches advanced, judge-centered, Texas Supreme Court jurisprudence-driven appellate advocacy. Students represent an assigned party in a hypothetical case that progresses from final judgment in the trial court, through the court of appeals, to the Supreme Court of Texas. The class focuses on instilling the best possible judgment in the identification, development,  and presentation of winning legal arguments via brief writing and oral argument. Lectures teach specific oral and written advocacy techniques and principles, infused with perspectives of leading appellate practitioners and members of  the appellate judiciary, using real world examples. Students are graded on their application of these techniques and principles to the hypothetical case. Students must complete all assignments to receive credit. Major assignments include a brief in a Texas court of appeals, a petition for review in the Supreme Court of Texas, and multiple oral arguments. The course also touches on appellate procedure, ethics, mandamus practice, and the identification, development, and presentation of winning legal arguments in trial courts. The class meets once each week. There is no midterm and no final exam.