Appellate Practice

5th Circuit leads Supreme Court reversals for third consecutive time

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at New Orleans had more decisions reversed this term by the U.S. Supreme Court than any appellate court, placing it at the top of the reversal list for the third consecutive time.

Jul 10, 2026 11:05 AM CDT

ABA connects death row inmate to pro bono attorneys who help free him

Jimmie “Chris” Duncan is now the 117th death row inmate to avoid wrongful execution with the help of the ABA Death Penalty Representation Project. Last week, the Louisiana Supreme Court affirmed a lower court decision that overturned Duncan’s first-degree murder conviction, citing new evidence that upended the prosecution’s entire theory of the crime.

Jul 9, 2026 1:05 PM CDT

Trump selects newly confirmed federal judge for open seat on 5th Circuit

President Donald Trump has chosen a newly confirmed federal judge for a vacancy on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at New Orleans.

Jul 1, 2026 9:42 AM CDT

State supreme court vacates sanctions against retired NFL player’s defense counsel

The Mississippi Supreme Court has vacated sanctions leveled against one of retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre’s lawyers in a state civil lawsuit involving misspent welfare funds.

Jun 9, 2026 10:24 AM CDT

Attorneys’ lack of candor over AI errors leads to stricter sanctions

A federal appeals court has sanctioned two lawyers for filing briefs that contained artificial intelligence-generated hallucinations and for their lack of candor over the mistakes.

Jun 4, 2026 11:24 AM CDT

Neal Katyal draws criticism over TED Talk revealing AI use in SCOTUS tariffs case

Attorney Neal Katyal revealed last week that he used artificial intelligence to prepare for his argument against President Donald Trump’s tariffs, drawing swift criticism online.

May 11, 2026 9:11 AM CDT

Judge who teared up during child abuse testimony does not warrant new trial, appeals court says

A Colorado judge who teared up during a child abuse victim’s testimony was not enough to warrant a new trial, an appeals court has ruled.

May 11, 2026 7:40 AM CDT

2 litigators leave Paul Weiss for Davis Polk

Two well-known litigators are leaving Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison to launch a new U.S. Supreme Court and appellate practice group at Davis Polk & Wardwell.

Apr 24, 2026 9:31 AM CDT

Federal judge hands down $110K penalty against 2 lawyers for AI errors in court documents

A federal judge in Oregon has imposed $110,000 in fines and attorney fees against two lawyers who filed documents filled with fake cases and fabricated citations.

Apr 17, 2026 11:38 AM CDT

Former judge convicted over ICE obstruction denied new trial

A federal judge on Monday refused a former Wisconsin judge's bid for acquittal or a new trial following her conviction for helping shield a defendant in her courtroom from arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Apr 7, 2026 9:35 AM CDT

Trump’s appellate judge appointees have voted overwhelmingly in his favor

President Donald Trump, who promised to fill the appeals courts with “my judges,” has found them to be strong allies in defending his agenda from legal challenges, according to an analysis by the New York Times.

Jan 12, 2026 12:14 PM CST

Mentions of Justice Scalia surge at conservative-dominated court during oral arguments

References to the late Justice Antonin Scalia spiked during U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments this year, according to a Bloomberg Law analysis.

Dec 23, 2025 10:51 AM CST

What does Bryan Garner think of artificial intelligence?

Although we hear a lot of talk about AI, a large segment of the legal profession knows little about it and hasn’t tried it. My own conviction is that whatever harm bad actors might do with it, in good hands it’s a tool that can benefit people.

Sep 22, 2025 3:07 PM CDT

SCOTUSblog founder Goldstein could leave country, live comfortably, avoid capture, prosecutors say

Warning that U.S. Supreme Court litigator Tom Goldstein is a flight risk, federal prosecutors say his home was bought with tainted funds and should not be sold to finance his legal defense in a case alleging that he evaded taxes on millions of dollars in high-stakes poker winnings.

Sep 16, 2025 10:41 AM CDT

After more than 40 years in the solicitor general's office, this lawyer says it was a privilege

Before retiring from government service in June, Edwin S. Kneedler, 79, argued 160 times before the Supreme Court. He joined the solicitor general’s office after four years in the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel. He was promoted to deputy solicitor general in 1993 and also briefly served as acting solicitor general in 2009.

Sep 3, 2025 2:07 PM CDT