California appellate courts lose jurisdiction once the deadline passes to notice an appeal. Truly and forever. So it’s time again for ASIC’s semi-annual selection of orders that just might be appealable (or not … we try to keep it interesting). As always: these answers apply
Descriptive headings make briefs more clear, and result in a table of contents that provides a helpful roadmap of your position. But on-point headings are more than just good practice—they are required, and failing to use them comes at a high cost: Each point in
Federal appellate courts mastered e-filing many years ago, and it’s the norm nationwide. But state appellate courts in California still have not fully implemented it. Here’s a summary of where things stand: The state Supreme Court forbids e-filing for merits briefs, but as of September
After suffering an adverse trial court ruling that isn’t immediately appealable, litigators often wonder whether they should seek discretionary review in the Court of Appeal via a writ petition. The answer is case-specific because it depends on many factors. But there is one overarching theme
What if no email you received had a Subject line? What if writers only told you what they needed somewhere in the middle? And how about a news article that goes on too long, sprinkled with “color words” that make you question its reliability? This
Videotaped deposition excerpts can be helpful or even essential at trial. But because court reporters are not legally required to transcribe them, they can leave holes in the appellate record and a video clip won’t count as “substantial evidence” on appeal if the appellate court
It’s April, and time for ASIC’s semi-annual installment of “Is This Appealable?” — a selection of adverse orders that arise frequently for trial counsel and litigants. As usual, these answers apply 95% of the time in California state courts; there are sometimes exceptions. 5. Is
A trial court ruling that resolves some causes of action but not others is not immediately appealable. Parties sometimes try to hasten appellate review of a key ruling by dismissing the remaining, unadjudicated claims and asking the trial court enter a final judgment. But the
Appellate justices are generalists. Last week on a single Court of Appeal calendar, I listened to arguments that debated whether the justices should: Require a retroactive increase in child support; Reverse a personal injury judgment for re-trial, due to the improper discharge of a juror;
Most California litigators know Code of Civil Procedure section 170.6 gives each side one opportunity at the outset of a case to have the case reassigned to a different judge. But fewer know that section 170.6 also permits a peremptory challenge after some appellate reversals
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