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Both sides urge Md. high court to dismiss murder case
The Maryland Supreme Court is weighing whether a prosecutor’s effort to keep exculpatory evidence from the defense should result in the dismissal of criminal charges. The state’s highest court heard oral arguments this week in the case of Jonathan D. Smith, whose 2001 murder conviction fell apart when his lawyers discovered reams of evidence that […]
Maryland Court of Appeals resumes in-person arguments in December
Maryland’s top court on Thursday will resume holding oral arguments in its Annapolis courtroom for the first time since a special one-day session on June 4.
Barbera’s final term included First Amendment, lost pet, gangland slaying cases
Maryland’s top court ended its 2020-2021 session Tuesday having issued rulings upholding Baltimore’s billboard tax against a free-speech challenge, limiting the compensation available for a negligently killed pet over a heartfelt dissent for beloved dogs and rejecting the duress defense for a gangland murder, saying the threat of death goes with the violent lifestyle. The […]
Md. high court reschedules oral arguments
Maryland’s top court will be rescheduling June oral arguments for September — the opening month of its 2020-2021 term — in light of delays resulting from emergency efforts to stanch the viral spread of COVID-19. As a result, the Court of Appeals will not be deciding those cases by Aug. 31, the last day of […]
Court of Special Appeals postpones arguments, cites concerns with Zoom
Maryland’s second-highest court has postponed its pandemic-compelled remote oral arguments for Friday due to concerns about the security of Zoom, the free online videoconferencing site the state judiciary had used until Thursday. The Court of Special Appeals stated in an online message that it was “exploring alternative meeting platforms” for holding remote arguments and hopes […]
Maryland courts, attorneys prepare for remote oral arguments
The Maryland appellate courts’ pandemic-compelled move to oral arguments by videoconference rather than in person could alter the subtle but often crucial dynamics of these sessions in which attorneys try to convince the judges to see the law their way. In person, the lawyers can see – and sense — how the panel of judges […]
Court of Appeals postpones oral arguments scheduled for early April
ANNAPOLIS – The Maryland Court of Appeals on Tuesday postponed the eight oral arguments it was scheduled to hear during the first week of April due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has spurred the high court’s chief judge to suspend court operations throughout the state except for emergency proceedings. In her postponement order, Chief Judge […]
Court of Special Appeals will give week’s notice of panel judges
Maryland’s second-highest court will soon begin announcing at least one week before oral arguments the names of the three judges who will hear a particular day’s appeals, a break from the court’s long-held practice of withholding the announcement of names until the morning of a hearing. The Court of Special Appeals’ advance listing will begin with […]
In federal appellate courts, pen is mightier than spoken word
Much like the sacrifice bunt in baseball or the keytar in pop music, the federal appellate court oral argument is slowly fading away.
On nervousness
The aspect of pending oral argument that proved the most challenging to prepare for was a horrible affliction of nerves. Here's how I mitigated them.
Thomas speaks, but not for the first time
News reports that Justice Clarence Thomas ended 10 years of silence during oral arguments Monday reminds me of the story of the 5-year-old boy who had yet to speak a word.
A golden Supreme Court argument celebrates silver anniversary
Do any of you judges and lawyers out there have a favorite all-time oral argument?
