A few days ago, I met with two perspective families of potential parole clients. They had different kinds of problems. I had seen both problems before. The first had a loved one who was ten years into a twenty-year sentence for armed robbery. The second had a loved one who was puzzled that he had […]
00J. Scott Key/wp-content/uploads/SK-Logo-Black-White.pngJ. Scott Key2011-04-20 08:32:202011-04-20 08:32:20Three Things You Should Know About Parole in Georgia
As a father of three children (one still in a car seat and one in a booster) and as an appeals lawyer in Georgia, I get two recurring and related questions. From the children, on car trips, I frequently hear, “Are we there yet?” From my clients and their families, I frequently hear, “when will […]
00J. Scott Key/wp-content/uploads/SK-Logo-Black-White.pngJ. Scott Key2011-04-14 16:25:562011-04-14 16:25:56How Much Longer Before The Georgia Appellate Court Rules?
The state of Georgia once brought us the Leo Frank trial, the Andersonville prisoner of war camp, and a series of lynching over the years. I never knew that Georgia law was so traditionally weighted against the State. The legislature seems to think otherwise. Yet, the legislature of late has enacted new laws that have […]
00J. Scott Key/wp-content/uploads/SK-Logo-Black-White.pngJ. Scott Key2011-04-12 16:19:112011-04-12 16:19:11The Client’s Right to Participate in Georgia Criminal Appeals is Quickly Eroding
A colleague of mine who has a thriving domestic practice tells me that, at the end of many divorce cases, two people often hate him – the ex-spouse and the client. He’s a great lawyer, so the ex-spouse part of that equation does not surprise me. As I think about the nature of domestic practice […]
00J. Scott Key/wp-content/uploads/SK-Logo-Black-White.pngJ. Scott Key2011-04-04 10:49:122011-04-04 10:49:12Handling Criticism Gracefully is Part of Criminal Appellate Practice
There’s a new book on my shelf. I’ve placed it right next to McFadden’s book on Georgia Appellate Practice, Aldisert’s Winning on Appeal, and Butterick’s Typography for Lawyers. That book is Ross Guberman’s Point Made: How to Write Like the Nation’s Top Advocates. Unlike many books on the subject, this one takes legal writing from […]
00J. Scott Key/wp-content/uploads/SK-Logo-Black-White.pngJ. Scott Key2011-03-27 08:11:062011-03-27 08:11:06Interview with Ross Guberman, Author of Point Made: How to Write Like the Nation’s Top Advocates
Last week, I came to the Supreme Court to watch the parties argue a case where I had written the amicus brief. With no pressure on me, I could pay closer attention to the lawyers than I usually do.What I took from the session I watched was a bunch of questions about whether to use […]
00J. Scott Key/wp-content/uploads/SK-Logo-Black-White.pngJ. Scott Key2011-03-21 21:38:562011-03-21 21:38:56Using Visuals at Oral Argument is Not an Appealing Proposition
Every now and again, I attend a CLE that does more than satisfy the hours requirement. Occasionally, there is a seminar where I walk out of the room with a new set of tools to become a better lawyer. Such was the case with the Georgia Appellate Practice Seminar sponsored by the Appellate Practice Section […]
00J. Scott Key/wp-content/uploads/SK-Logo-Black-White.pngJ. Scott Key2011-02-27 21:20:052011-02-27 21:20:05Lessons I Learned About Doing Appeals from the Georgia Appellate Practice Seminar
On February 25, 2011, the Georgia Appellate Practice Section will host a CLE on Appellate Practice at the State Bar of Georgia. The event has something to offer lawyers who practice before Georgia appellate courts, whether the lawyer is a seasoned appellate practitioner or only handles the occasional appeal. The event will cover all the major […]
00J. Scott Key/wp-content/uploads/SK-Logo-Black-White.pngJ. Scott Key2011-02-01 13:51:322011-02-01 13:51:32Your Opportunity to Ask Appellate Judges About Writing Better Briefs
When appellate lawyers talk about judges, we ordinarily talk about how wrong they often are and about how to preserve their mistakes for later use. Otherwise, we don’t much speak of the trial judge. Yet, at least in Georgia, every direct appeal begins at the trial court level where appellate lawyers have the unenviable task […]
00J. Scott Key/wp-content/uploads/SK-Logo-Black-White.pngJ. Scott Key2011-01-24 06:36:052011-01-24 06:36:05Help the Judge Help You at the Motion for New Trial Hearing
Approximately 16 attendees made the snow-ladened trek to the appellate practice section luncheon Nashville, Tennessee, held in conjunction with the State Bar of Georgia’s mid-year meeting. The Honorable Christopher McFadden, newly elected to the Georgia Court of Appeals, gave a fascinating talk on the process of campaigning for the appellate bench, the process of […]
00J. Scott Key/wp-content/uploads/SK-Logo-Black-White.pngJ. Scott Key2011-01-17 16:41:432011-01-17 16:41:43Judge McFadden Speaks on Getting Elected and Getting Started
Three Things You Should Know About Parole in Georgia
/by J. Scott KeyA few days ago, I met with two perspective families of potential parole clients. They had different kinds of problems. I had seen both problems before. The first had a loved one who was ten years into a twenty-year sentence for armed robbery. The second had a loved one who was puzzled that he had […]
How Much Longer Before The Georgia Appellate Court Rules?
/by J. Scott KeyAs a father of three children (one still in a car seat and one in a booster) and as an appeals lawyer in Georgia, I get two recurring and related questions. From the children, on car trips, I frequently hear, “Are we there yet?” From my clients and their families, I frequently hear, “when will […]
The Client’s Right to Participate in Georgia Criminal Appeals is Quickly Eroding
/by J. Scott KeyThe state of Georgia once brought us the Leo Frank trial, the Andersonville prisoner of war camp, and a series of lynching over the years. I never knew that Georgia law was so traditionally weighted against the State. The legislature seems to think otherwise. Yet, the legislature of late has enacted new laws that have […]
Handling Criticism Gracefully is Part of Criminal Appellate Practice
/by J. Scott KeyA colleague of mine who has a thriving domestic practice tells me that, at the end of many divorce cases, two people often hate him – the ex-spouse and the client. He’s a great lawyer, so the ex-spouse part of that equation does not surprise me. As I think about the nature of domestic practice […]
Interview with Ross Guberman, Author of Point Made: How to Write Like the Nation’s Top Advocates
/by J. Scott KeyThere’s a new book on my shelf. I’ve placed it right next to McFadden’s book on Georgia Appellate Practice, Aldisert’s Winning on Appeal, and Butterick’s Typography for Lawyers. That book is Ross Guberman’s Point Made: How to Write Like the Nation’s Top Advocates. Unlike many books on the subject, this one takes legal writing from […]
Using Visuals at Oral Argument is Not an Appealing Proposition
/by J. Scott KeyLast week, I came to the Supreme Court to watch the parties argue a case where I had written the amicus brief. With no pressure on me, I could pay closer attention to the lawyers than I usually do.What I took from the session I watched was a bunch of questions about whether to use […]
Lessons I Learned About Doing Appeals from the Georgia Appellate Practice Seminar
/by J. Scott KeyEvery now and again, I attend a CLE that does more than satisfy the hours requirement. Occasionally, there is a seminar where I walk out of the room with a new set of tools to become a better lawyer. Such was the case with the Georgia Appellate Practice Seminar sponsored by the Appellate Practice Section […]
Your Opportunity to Ask Appellate Judges About Writing Better Briefs
/by J. Scott KeyOn February 25, 2011, the Georgia Appellate Practice Section will host a CLE on Appellate Practice at the State Bar of Georgia. The event has something to offer lawyers who practice before Georgia appellate courts, whether the lawyer is a seasoned appellate practitioner or only handles the occasional appeal. The event will cover all the major […]
Help the Judge Help You at the Motion for New Trial Hearing
/by J. Scott KeyWhen appellate lawyers talk about judges, we ordinarily talk about how wrong they often are and about how to preserve their mistakes for later use. Otherwise, we don’t much speak of the trial judge. Yet, at least in Georgia, every direct appeal begins at the trial court level where appellate lawyers have the unenviable task […]
Judge McFadden Speaks on Getting Elected and Getting Started
/by J. Scott KeyApproximately 16 attendees made the snow-ladened trek to the appellate practice section luncheon Nashville, Tennessee, held in conjunction with the State Bar of Georgia’s mid-year meeting. The Honorable Christopher McFadden, newly elected to the Georgia Court of Appeals, gave a fascinating talk on the process of campaigning for the appellate bench, the process of […]