What makes you valuable as an ‘appellate’ attorney
Hiring an Appellate Specialist for a Critical Trial-Court Hearing
Have you wondered how to engage an appellate specialist to help with a critical trial-court hearing without fully bringing them into the case as co-counsel? If you’re in Travis County district court, consider a limited appearance under the Local Rules of Civil Procedure.
Local Rule 20.2 allows an attorney to file a notice of
What’s the Deadline for Filing a Mandamus Petition?
I get this question periodically. The short answer is that the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure don’t impose a deadline. But that doesn’t mean a relator (the party wishing to challenge a trial court’s order by filing a petition for writ of mandamus) can delay pursuing mandamus relief indefinitely.
Rooted in Equity
Mandamus is an
Handling Your First (or Next) Business Court Case, Featuring the Fifteenth Court of Appeals
Two new statewide courts, the Business Court and the Fifteenth Court of Appeals, opened their doors on September 1, 2024. I recently served as course director for a brand-new TexasBarCLE program—Handling Your First (or Next) Business Court Case—focused on educating lawyers about these courts. The course was held on
A Candid Conversation with Chief Justice Nathan Hecht
Like every Texas lawyer licensed since 1988, I’d never known a Texas Supreme Court without Chief Justice Nathan Hecht.
That changed on January 1, 2025.
A Rare Opportunity
As widely reported in Texas legal news, Chief Justice Hecht retired from the Court on
Taking Flight: Introducing Texas Appellate Counsel
I’m thrilled to announce the launch of Texas Appellate Counsel PLLC, a solo practice dedicated to appellate advocacy, trial support, and consulting for trial lawyers.
This online publication is part of that venture. It reflects both the firm’s name and my work as a lawyer.
A New Start (But Not Uncharted Territory)
I’ve had my
E143: Looking Back and Looking Forward | Chief Justice Nathan Hecht
Chief Justice Nathan Hecht is retiring after an extraordinary 43 years on the bench. In this special episode, he joins Todd Smith and Jody Sanders to reflect on his remarkable career as Texas’s longest-serving Chief Justice. He shares personal stories, pivotal milestones, and the transformative reforms he championed, from modernizing court technology to improving access
E142: Breaking Down the Robert Roberson Case: Criminal Appeals, Reform, and Separation of Powers | Doug Gladden
The highly publicized Robert Roberson case has raised critical questions about the death penalty and separation of powers. In this episode, Todd Smith and Jody Sanders sit down with criminal defense attorney Doug Gladden to tackle this difficult topic. Known for his insightful legal commentary, Doug shares his career journey from serving as a prosecutor to his new
E141: A New Approach to Narrowing the Texas Civil Justice Chasm | Justice Brett Busby and Kennon Wooten
Access to justice remains a pervasive problem in the Texas legal system. In this episode, Todd Smith and Jody Sanders welcome Texas Supreme Court Justice Brett Busby and Kennon Wooten from Austin’s Scott Douglass & McConnico to discuss the latest developments on this front. The conversation focuses on new Supreme Court rules for licensing paraprofessionals
E123: Supersedeas and Other Recent Rule Changes
Legislative session years in Texas always bring uncertainty into legal practice. When the Legislature passes new laws impacting courts, the Texas Supreme Court has to make rules to give those laws effect. This week Todd Smith and Jody Sanders discuss several recent rule changes and additions from the Texas Supreme Court that will impact trial