While trial and appellate practice are different in many ways, attorneys who understand each one are better at both. On the criminal side, Jim Huggler has managed to balance both a trial and appellate practice representing criminal defendants in state and federal courts. This week, he joins Todd Smith and Jody Sanders to discuss his
In recent years, the amount of time lawyers spend in court and talking to judges has shrunk. As a result, an attorney’s credibility with judges has become increasingly important. Likewise, presenting clear, concise briefing and arguments helpful to judges and their staff has become critical. Rachel Stinson of Wright Close & Barger in Houston has
Bill Chriss is truly a Renaissance man. A lifelong learner with degrees that include a Ph.D., Bill’s interests range across history, politics, law, and ethics. Bill’s recent research interest focuses on the Texas Constitution, both its origin and evolution. Bill sits down with Todd Smith and Jody Sanders and traces his career journey—from working as
Justice Paul Green served as an appellate justice for more than 25 years, both at the San Antonio Court of Appeals and the Texas Supreme Court. On the eve of his retirement, Justice Green joined Todd Smith and Jody Sanders to reflect on his past as a litigator in his family’s law practice, his time
Texas has adopted standards for appellate conduct that go beyond the disciplinary rules governing all licensed attorneys. Making his second appearance on the show is the resident expert on this topic, Kevin Dubose of Alexander Dubose & Jefferson LLP. With his insider knowledge and insights, Kevin explains the impetus behind the aptly-named Standards for
With a background as a U.S. Supreme Court law clerk, appellate practitioner, and Justice on Texas’s Fourteenth Court of Appeals, serving on the Texas Supreme Court seems like a natural fit for Justice Brett Busby. Today, he joins Todd Smith and Jody Sanders to share his experiences transitioning from the Court of Appeals to
Error preservation often determines what issues an appellate court can hear. Too often, clients, trial counsel, and even appellate counsel learn that error didn’t get preserved when it’s already too late to fix. To explore more about error preservation, Todd Smith and Jody Sanders talk with Steve Hayes, the error-preservation guru. Chances are, if
Statistically speaking, any appellant faces an uphill battle with less than a 50% chance of success. But, with those odds, why should a client ever appeal? Todd Smith and Jody Sanders answer this question, highlighting why appeals matter even when the odds might not point to success. The discussion focuses on how standards of review
Good appellate lawyers get real with their clients about their chances of success on appeal. Each case is different, and in practice, all appellate lawyers can really do is estimate. But what if their estimates are grounded on carefully collected and analyzed empirical data? Kent Rutter and the team at Haynes and Boone, LLP curate
A judge’s life doesn’t necessarily have to revolve around the law 24/7. There are many pursuits worth going after if you’re passionate about them and willing to put in the work. Todd Smith and Jody Sanders talk with Justice Ken Wise of the Fourteenth Court of Appeals. Justice Wise shares his journey, which has included