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Judges' Info
District Judges
Senior Judge Paul C. Huck
Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. United States Courthouse
400 North Miami Avenue
Room 13-2
Miami, Florida 33128
Directions
Chambers
(305) 523-5520
Please send all clerkship and intern applications to
[email protected]
. Applicants may also follow-up with a paper copy mailed to chambers. Judge Huck has filled all his clerkship openings for the 2024 term.
Judge Tabs
Friendly Random Advice for Litigants
I
.
G
e
n
er
al A
d
vo
c
a
cy
•
J
ud
g
e
s do not like su
r
p
r
is
e
s! Anti
c
ip
a
te pot
e
nti
a
l p
r
obl
e
ms, issu
e
s or
c
h
a
n
g
e
s in
c
i
rc
umst
a
n
ce
s, dis
c
uss th
e
m b
ef
o
re
h
a
nd with opposing
c
ouns
e
l in a
g
ood
-fa
ith
a
tt
e
mpt to
re
solve th
e
m,
a
nd if un
a
ble to do so, b
r
ing the m
a
tt
e
r to the
c
ou
r
t
’
s
a
tt
e
ntion
a
s soon
a
s
rea
son
a
bly p
rac
ti
ca
l. Give the jud
g
e su
ff
i
c
i
e
nt time to
caref
ully
c
onsid
e
r
a
nd
re
solve the m
a
tt
er
.
F
or
e
x
a
mpl
e
, do not w
a
it until the h
ear
ing b
e
g
ins or the ju
r
y is
f
iling into the
c
ou
r
t
r
oom to dis
c
lose th
a
t
y
ou h
a
ve a n
e
w issu
e
, a s
c
h
e
duling p
r
obl
e
m or
a
n
e
vid
e
nti
ar
y issue th
a
t n
ee
ds
re
solution b
ef
o
r
e the p
r
o
cee
ding
ca
n
g
o
f
o
r
w
ar
d.
•
L
ear
n
a
bout
y
our jud
g
e
s, in
c
luding h
e
r b
ac
k
g
r
ound, how she
r
uns h
e
r
c
ou
r
t
r
oom.
I
f possibl
e
,
a
sk the jud
g
e’
s
f
o
r
m
e
r l
a
w
c
l
er
k or som
e
one who h
a
s
a
pp
eare
d b
ef
o
r
e the jud
g
e
a
bout the jud
g
e’
s
a
pp
r
o
ac
h to
y
our p
ar
ti
c
ul
a
r kind of motion
a
nd o
ra
l
ar
g
um
e
nt. Of
c
ou
r
s
e
, the jud
g
e’
s p
r
ior w
r
itt
e
n opinions will
g
ive
y
ou insi
g
ht into the jud
g
e’
s
a
pp
r
o
ac
h
a
nd thinkin
g
.
• Keep in mind that your trial (or often a substantive motion) is simply the retelling of a story—where there are two competing versions. Your job is to help your “audience” (1)
understand
your story; (2)
believe
your story; and (3)
remember
your story.
• As an advocate, your job is to help the jury or judge understand, accept and remember your client’s version of the contested “story.” If it helps, do it; if it doesn’t, don’t. It’s as simple as that.
• In helping the judge or jury understand, accept and remember your version of the story, keep in mind what I call the “3 S’s and 1 C”––substance (including an appropriate and compelling legal theory and theme), structure (organization, signpost/headlines, etc), style, and most important, credibility.
• As with
a
ny
effec
tive
a
dvo
cac
y
,
a
dvise the jud
g
e
r
i
g
ht up
fr
ont of the sp
ec
i
f
ic issu
e
s b
e
ing
ra
is
e
d, the
g
e
n
era
l b
a
sis
f
or
g
ra
nting the motion
a
nd the
re
li
e
f
y
ou s
ee
k.
(
O
r
, if opposing the motion, why it should not be
g
ra
nt
e
d.) Th
a
t w
a
y the jud
g
e
ca
n put the st
a
t
e
m
e
nt of
fac
ts into p
r
op
e
r p
er
sp
ec
tiv
e
.
I
t is
fr
ust
ra
ting to
rea
d th
r
ou
g
h s
e
v
era
l p
a
g
e
s or list
e
n to a
rec
it
a
tion of
fac
ts
a
nd b
ac
k
g
r
ound in
f
o
r
m
a
tion without knowing why th
e
y
ar
e si
g
ni
f
i
ca
nt.
•
L
ea
d with
y
our b
e
st point
a
nd
ar
g
um
e
nt. Don’t waste your opportunity to make a compelling first impression.
•
S
impli
f
y
. The jud
g
e
(
or ju
r
y) do
e
sn
’
t know n
ear
ly
a
s mu
c
h
a
bout the
c
ompl
e
x t
ec
hni
ca
l
a
nd l
e
g
a
l issu
e
s
a
s
y
ou—
y
ou
’
ve b
ee
n stud
y
ing th
e
m
f
or months. Your t
a
sk is to h
e
lp the d
ec
ision
-
m
a
k
e
r
ea
sily und
er
st
a
nd the issu
e
s,
y
our
ar
g
um
e
nt
a
nd wh
a
t is the
r
i
g
ht d
ec
ision.
S
impli
f
y
ing the
ca
s
e
,
re
du
c
ing it to und
er
st
a
nd
a
bl
e
,
c
ommonly
acce
pt
e
d
c
on
ce
pts,
a
nd l
a
n
g
u
a
g
e
, is
e
ss
e
nti
a
l to
effec
tive
a
dvo
cac
y
. Use
a
n
a
lo
g
i
e
s
(
to whi
c
h the d
ec
ision
-
m
a
k
er
will
re
l
a
t
e)
, visu
a
l
a
id
e
s
a
nd summ
ar
i
e
s.
• Visual aids can be effective in virtually every aspect of advocacy. That’s why the old adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” is an adage. And, if you use technology make sure it works in the courtroom!
• Be brief and concise. As Franz Kafka critically observed, “A lawyer is a person who writes a 10,000 word document and calls it a brief.” Take the time to edit and re-edit your submission. Audiences don’t complain about a speech being too short just as judges don’t complain about a memorandum or argument being too brief, concise, and to the point. As Cisero so concisely observed, “brevity is the eloquence of persuasion.”
• Do not
ra
ise
e
v
er
y possible
(
thou
g
h w
ea
k)
ar
g
um
e
nt im
a
g
in
a
bl
e
. Oth
er
wis
e
,
y
our st
r
ong
ar
g
um
e
nts will be lost or diminish
e
d by a
“
th
r
ow
e
v
er
y
thing on the w
a
ll
a
nd hope som
e
thing sti
c
ks”
a
pp
r
o
ac
h. The same is true for causes of action and affirmative defenses. Be judicious when asserting them.
•
C
on
ce
de points th
a
t
y
ou
ca
nnot win. Those
c
on
ce
ssions p
r
ot
ec
t
y
our
cre
dibility
a
nd m
a
ke
y
our
ar
g
um
e
nts mo
r
e p
er
su
a
siv
e
. Also, be p
re
p
are
d to point out why the
c
on
ce
d
e
d point is
e
ith
e
r i
rre
l
e
v
a
nt or not dispositive of the issu
e
.
• Cooperating, compromising, and stipulating, which do not actually prejudice your client’s rights, are not signs of weakness, rather of strength.
• Don
’
t i
g
no
r
e
fac
ts th
a
t
are
n
’
t in
y
our
fa
vo
r
. Eli
c
it,
ac
knowl
e
d
g
e
a
nd distin
g
uish th
e
m. This w
a
y
y
ou st
a
y in
c
ont
r
ol of the
fac
ts
a
nd how th
e
y
ar
e
ca
st. And,
a
g
a
in, this st
re
n
g
th
e
ns
y
our
cre
dibility with the jud
g
e
(
or ju
r
y
) b
eca
use
y
ou
ar
e b
e
ing
ca
ndid by t
e
lling the whole sto
r
y
, not just p
ar
t of it.
•
S
imil
ar
l
y
, don
’
t mis
re
p
re
s
e
nt or
e
x
a
gg
era
te
fac
ts,
a
nd don
’
t ov
er
st
a
te or spin
c
it
e
d
ca
s
e
s. And if
y
ou sp
ec
ul
a
te or
a
ssume in
a
n
a
nsw
e
r to a qu
e
stion,
a
lw
a
y
s p
r
op
er
ly qu
a
li
f
y
y
our st
a
t
e
m
e
nt by
e
x
pl
a
ining th
a
t
y
ou
’r
e sp
ec
ul
a
ting or
a
ssumin
g
. Remember, in the kingdom of advocacy, credibility is king.
• Don
’
t w
a
ste time or
y
our
re
put
a
tion on p
er
son
a
l
a
tt
ac
ks. And m
a
ke su
r
e
y
our
re
pli
e
s
a
nd
re
spons
e
s
ar
e
ac
tu
a
lly
re
sponsive to the
re
l
e
v
a
nt issu
e
s,
ra
th
e
r th
a
n just
a
tt
ac
king the oth
e
r sid
e.
• My l
a
w
c
l
er
ks, som
e
time
a
g
o
a
nd unknown to m
e
,
crea
t
e
d a
“
W
o
r
st
F
iling of the Month”
c
ont
e
st. T
y
pi
ca
ll
y
, the
f
ilin
g
s th
a
t won th
a
t distin
c
tion w
er
e the on
e
s th
a
t w
er
e the most hostile tow
ar
ds the opposing p
ar
t
y
. Those
f
ilin
g
s w
er
e too
f
ull of d
ra
m
a
ti
c
,
e
x
a
gg
era
t
e
d
cr
iti
c
isms of the oppon
e
nt
’
s positions
a
nd
ac
tions to
ca
lmly
a
nd p
er
su
a
siv
e
ly
a
dd
re
ss the
re
l
e
v
a
nt l
e
g
a
l issu
e
s.
• Ad
e
qu
a
t
e
ly suppo
r
t
y
our dis
c
ussion of the impo
r
t
a
nt
fac
ts with sp
ec
i
f
i
c
,
acc
u
ra
te
rec
o
r
d
c
it
a
tions
(
in
c
luding p
a
g
e
a
nd line numb
er
s
)
.
• K
ee
p in mind th
a
t jud
g
e
s
ar
e p
er
su
a
d
e
d to
rea
son
e
d, lo
g
i
ca
l
a
n
a
l
y
sis b
a
s
e
d on the l
a
w
a
nd
fac
ts, not
a
pp
ea
ls to th
e
ir
e
motions.
• Do not p
e
pp
e
r
y
our
ar
g
um
e
nts with
e
motion
a
lly
c
h
ar
g
e
d sup
erf
luous
a
dj
ec
tiv
e
s. Th
e
y
ar
e
g
e
n
era
lly dist
rac
tions
a
nd s
e
ldom
a
dd to the p
er
su
a
siv
e
n
e
ss of
y
our
ar
g
um
e
nt.
•
P
a
y
c
lose
a
tt
e
ntion to the t
r
i
e
r of
fac
t, ju
r
y or jud
g
e
. Don
’
t
g
e
t so
f
o
c
us
e
d on wh
a
t
y
ou
ar
e doing th
a
t
y
ou miss t
e
llt
a
le si
g
n
a
ls
fr
om the t
r
i
e
r of
fac
t.
• Do not use
acr
on
y
ms. A
c
on
f
using
a
lph
a
b
e
t soup hind
er
s the jud
g
e (and the jury) in t
r
y
ing to
f
ollow
y
our
ar
g
um
e
nt.
(
I w
a
s
re
lu
c
t
a
nt to
a
dmit th
a
t I w
a
sn
’
t sm
ar
t
e
nou
g
h to
c
omp
re
h
e
nd a lit
a
ny of
acr
on
y
ms until I
rece
ntly l
ear
n
e
d th
a
t
acr
on
y
ms
ar
e a p
e
t p
ee
ve of
J
usti
ce
S
ca
li
a)
.
• Use p
r
op
e
r n
a
m
e
s, not p
r
onouns.
P
r
onouns
ar
e o
f
t
e
n un
c
l
ea
r
a
nd
re
qui
r
e the jud
g
e to stop wh
a
t he or she is
rea
ding
(
or int
err
upt
y
our
ar
g
um
e
nt) to d
e
t
er
mine to whom
y
ou
ar
e
referr
in
g
. (The same goes for your statements to jurors).
•
W
h
e
n
y
ou or
y
our oppon
e
nts
e
x
a
mine a witn
e
ss, list
e
n
caref
ully to the t
e
stimon
y
.
I
n a h
ear
ing or t
r
i
a
l,
a
s in li
fe
, thin
g
s don
’
t
a
lw
a
y
s
g
o
a
s pl
a
nn
e
d.
(
A
c
tu
a
ll
y
, th
e
y n
e
v
e
r do in t
r
i
a
l.)
B
e
rea
dy to d
e
vi
a
te
fr
om
y
our p
re
p
are
d
“
s
cr
ipt” of qu
e
stions
a
s
c
i
rc
umst
a
n
ce
s di
c
t
a
te
a
nd use
re
butt
a
l to
effec
tiv
e
ly
re
spond to p
re
vious t
e
stimony
a
nd
re
solve n
e
w qu
e
stions or issu
e
s th
a
t
ar
ose in the
c
ou
r
se of t
e
stimon
y
.
•
L
ear
n to be a
g
ood list
e
n
er
.
I
t is not
a
s
ea
sy
a
s
y
ou m
a
y think.
•
Advocating your client’s story should be a rewarding experience. Professionalism and civility will make it more so — and more effective.
• There is a good reason why the first rule of the Rules of Professional Responsibility is “Competence,” and the first rule of competence: know what you don’t know; the second: don’t do what you don’t know; the third: if you do what you don’t know, get to know a competent Florida Bar grievance-defense lawyer!
• Always keep in mind that while you have worked on your case for months and know it intimately, your judge or jury has not and does not.
• Remember, that litigation is actually (or should be) rather simple: common sense and common courtesy.
II
.
M
o
t
io
n
s
f
or
Su
mm
a
r
y J
ud
g
m
e
n
t
A.
Timing
• Do not w
a
it until the dispositive motion d
ea
dline to
f
ile
y
our motion.
I
f
y
ou h
a
ve a l
e
g
itim
a
te motion,
y
ou should
f
ile it
a
s soon
a
s
y
ou h
a
ve p
r
op
er
ly d
e
v
e
lop
e
d the suppo
r
ting
rec
o
r
d
a
nd
af
t
e
r
y
our oppon
e
nt h
a
s h
a
d a
rea
son
a
ble
oppo
r
tunity to do the s
a
m
e
.
•
L
o
ca
l
R
ule 7.1.
C
.2 p
r
ohibits the
f
iling of multiple motions
f
or summ
ar
y jud
g
m
e
nt
a
nd w
a
s
e
n
ac
t
e
d to p
r
ohibit p
ar
ti
e
s
fr
om
e
v
a
ding p
a
g
e limit
a
tions or p
re
s
e
nting the
ca
se pi
ece
m
ea
l. How
e
v
er
, th
er
e
ar
e tim
e
s wh
e
n a d
e
t
er
min
a
tiv
e
, th
re
shold l
e
g
a
l issue or some oth
e
r
rea
son justi
f
i
e
s the
f
iling of one or mo
r
e su
cce
ssive motion
f
or summ
ar
y jud
g
m
e
nt.
I
f so, s
ee
k p
r
ior
c
ou
r
t
a
pp
r
ov
a
l to
f
ile multiple motions.
•
F
ile a
re
ply m
e
mo
ra
ndum to
re
spond to
y
our oppon
e
nt
’
s
ar
g
um
e
nts, in
c
luding
c
l
ar
i
f
y
in
g
, modi
f
y
in
g
, or
c
on
ce
ding
y
our points
a
s
a
pp
r
op
r
i
a
t
e
.
I
n the
rar
e
ca
se th
a
t
y
ou do not b
e
li
e
ve a
re
ply is n
ece
ss
ar
y
,
a
dvise the
c
ou
r
t
af
t
e
r the
re
sponse is
f
il
e
d th
a
t
y
ou do not int
e
nd to
f
ile a
re
pl
y
. Oth
er
wis
e
, the
c
ou
r
t will
a
ssume a
re
ply is
f
o
r
th
c
oming
a
nd will not
a
tt
e
nd to the motion until the
re
ply d
ea
dline p
a
ss
e
s.
I
f
y
ou do not
re
pl
y
, the
C
ou
r
t m
a
y
a
lso
a
ssume th
a
t
y
ou
ar
e
c
on
ce
ding points m
a
de in the
re
sponsive m
e
mo
ra
ndum.
B
.
W
r
iting
• Do not sp
e
nd mu
c
h time
a
nd sp
ac
e dis
c
ussing the summ
ar
y jud
g
m
e
nt l
e
g
a
l st
a
nd
ar
d unl
e
ss the motion
ra
is
e
s a sp
ec
i
f
i
c
, unusu
a
l point.
J
ud
g
e
s
ar
e w
e
ll
a
w
ar
e of the
g
e
n
era
l l
e
g
al
st
a
nd
ar
d. (The same goes for motions to dismiss.)
• Your writing style should be clear, straightforward, and
concise
. You are trying to persuade the judge of the validity of your legal argument, not impress the jud
g
e with
y
our
e
x
p
a
nsive vo
ca
bul
ar
y
a
nd
B
ar
oque w
r
iting st
y
l
e
.
I
t is not a
c
ont
e
st to win a
P
ulit
z
e
r
P
r
i
z
e
.
•
C
onsid
e
r using a
“
th
e
m
e
” in l
e
g
a
l m
e
mo
ra
nda or o
ra
l
ar
g
um
e
nt,
similar to
a t
r
i
a
l th
e
me,
if
one is
a
pp
r
op
r
i
a
te
a
nd h
e
lp
f
ul in
a
dvo
ca
ting
y
our position.
(
Of
c
ou
r
s
e
, a t
r
i
a
l th
e
me is
a
lmost
a
lw
a
y
s
a
pp
r
op
r
i
a
te
a
nd
effec
tive in a ju
r
y t
r
i
a
l.) How
e
v
er
, don
’
t use a theme simply to
a
pp
ea
r
c
l
e
v
er
. Not using a th
e
me is p
refera
ble to
a
tt
e
mpting to use a
c
ont
r
iv
e
d on
e
.
• O
r
g
a
ni
z
e
y
our m
e
mo
ra
nda in a lo
g
i
ca
l
a
nd
ea
sy to
f
ollow m
a
nn
er
, using h
ea
din
g
s
a
nd sub
-
h
ea
din
g
s
a
s
a
pp
r
op
r
i
a
te
a
nd
a
s
“r
o
a
d si
g
ns” to indi
ca
te wh
er
e
y
ou
ar
e h
ea
d
e
d.
• T
e
ll the jud
g
e up
fr
ont
e
x
ac
tly wh
er
e
y
ou
ar
e
g
oing
a
nd wh
y
.
S
e
e supra
G
e
n
era
l Advo
cacy
Tips.
• Do not
“a
dopt by
refere
n
ce
”
a
noth
e
r m
e
mo
ra
ndum whi
c
h
y
ou m
a
y h
a
ve p
re
viously submitt
e
d,
re
qui
r
ing the jud
g
e to int
err
upt his
re
vi
e
w of
y
our motion in o
r
d
e
r to lo
ca
te th
at
oth
e
r do
c
um
e
nt.
I
n oth
e
r wo
r
ds, the motion
a
nd suppo
r
ting do
c
um
e
nts should be s
e
l
f-c
ont
a
in
e
d.
•
S
uppo
r
t
a
ll
refere
n
ce
s to m
a
t
er
i
a
l, disput
e
d
fac
ts with sp
ec
i
f
ic
c
it
a
tions to the
rec
o
r
d.
•
I
n
re
sponding to a motion
f
or summ
ar
y jud
g
m
e
nt, s
e
t
f
o
r
th s
e
p
ara
t
e
l
y
,
c
l
ear
ly
a
nd
re
sp
ec
t
f
ully
(
with
c
it
a
tion to the
rec
o
r
d, in
c
luding p
a
g
e
s
a
nd lin
e
s
refere
n
ce
d) the
fac
ts whi
c
h
y
ou disput
e
.
•
I
t is not n
ece
ss
ar
y to st
r
ing
c
ite
a
n
e
ndl
e
ss numb
e
r of
c
it
a
tions wh
e
n a
c
ont
r
olling d
ec
ision will do just
f
in
e.
• Use
f
ootnot
e
s s
e
l
ec
tiv
e
ly
a
nd judi
c
iousl
y
.
I
f the point is impo
r
t
a
nt, in
c
lude it in the body of the m
e
mo
ra
ndum.
•
I
n those
rar
e
ca
s
e
s wh
er
e m
e
mo
ra
nda
e
x
cee
ding the lo
ca
l
r
ul
e
s limit
a
tion
ar
e
a
pp
r
op
r
i
a
t
e,
s
ee
k the jud
g
e’
s
p
r
ior
a
pp
r
ov
a
l.
C
.
The
R
ec
o
r
d
•
I
f
y
ou
ar
e submitting d
e
position t
ra
ns
cr
ipts, d
e
t
er
mine if the jud
g
e p
refer
s the
“
mini
-
s
cr
ipt” v
er
sion.
S
ome jud
g
e
s
a
lso p
refe
r a s
e
p
ara
te s
e
t of suppo
r
ting do
c
um
e
nts in
a
ddition to those
f
il
e
d with the
c
l
er
k
’
s o
ff
i
ce
. You
ca
n inqui
r
e with
c
h
a
mb
er
s
a
s to the jud
g
e’
s p
refere
n
ce
.
• Don
’
t
c
lutt
e
r up the
rec
o
r
d with unn
ece
ss
ar
y do
c
um
e
nts. K
ee
p it l
ea
n
a
nd
c
l
ea
n.
•
I
f
y
ou n
ee
d only a
fe
w
re
l
e
v
a
nt p
a
g
e
s of a l
e
n
g
thy d
e
position to m
a
ke
y
our point, in
c
lude a
rea
son
a
ble
a
mount of
c
ont
e
x
t to p
rec
lude
a
n
ar
g
um
e
nt th
a
t the
e
vid
e
n
c
e
y
ou submitt
e
d is misl
ea
ding or in
c
ompl
e
t
e
, th
e
n in
c
lude only those p
a
g
e
s in the suppo
r
ting
rec
o
r
d. You m
a
y
f
ile the
c
ompl
e
te t
ra
ns
cr
ipt s
e
p
ara
t
e
l
y
.
III
.
O
r
al A
d
vo
c
a
c
y
•
B
e p
re
p
are
d, in
c
luding
a
nti
c
ip
a
ting lik
e
ly qu
e
stions
fr
om the jud
g
e
a
nd b
e
ing
fa
mili
a
r with
y
our oppon
e
nt
’
s lik
e
ly
ar
g
um
e
nts
a
nd
a
ll
ca
s
e
s th
a
t w
er
e
c
it
e
d in the l
e
g
a
l m
e
mo
ra
nd
a.
•
B
e
re
sp
ec
t
f
ul of the jud
g
e
a
nd
y
our oppon
e
nts, in
c
luding b
e
ing on tim
e
.
•
B
e
f
l
e
x
ible
a
nd
rea
dy to d
e
p
ar
t
fr
om wh
a
t
y
ou m
a
y h
a
ve int
e
nd
e
d to dis
c
uss in the h
ear
in
g
.
I
t
is
lik
e
ly th
a
t the jud
g
e h
a
s
a
l
rea
dy id
e
nti
f
i
e
d sp
ec
i
f
ic issu
e
s or qu
e
stions she w
a
nts
a
dd
re
ss
e
d. Do not
e
x
p
ec
t to simply
re
g
u
r
g
it
a
te
y
our l
e
g
a
l m
e
mo
ra
ndum.
•
L
ist
e
n
caref
ully to wh
a
t the jud
g
e is
a
skin
g
. Answ
e
r qu
e
stions di
rec
tl
y
. Don
’
t t
r
y to du
c
k qu
e
stions.
I
t is s
e
ldom a
g
ood
re
sponse to s
a
y th
a
t
y
ou
’
ll
g
e
t to th
a
t point l
a
t
er
.
•
L
ist
e
n
caref
ully to wh
a
t
y
our oppon
e
nt is s
a
y
ing so th
a
t
y
ou
ca
n p
r
op
er
ly
re
spond. Do not
g
e
t so
ca
u
g
ht up with wh
a
t
y
ou
ar
e
g
oing to do n
e
x
t th
a
t
y
ou miss
a
n impo
r
t
a
nt point m
a
de by
y
our oppon
e
nt.
• Don
’
t int
err
upt.
I
n oth
e
r wo
r
ds, don
’
t l
e
t the b
e
g
inning of
y
our s
e
nt
e
n
c
e int
err
upt the middle of the jud
g
e’
s or
a
n oppon
e
nt
’
s s
e
nt
e
n
ce
.
• A
g
a
in, be p
re
p
are
d. This s
ee
ms obvious, but if the jud
g
e h
a
s s
c
h
e
dul
e
d a h
ear
ing to dis
c
uss a
cer
t
a
in st
a
tute
a
nd its
effec
t on
y
our
ca
s
e
,
rea
d the st
a
tute
a
nd
re
s
earc
h it. Also, if
c
oming to a h
ear
ing with
ca
se l
a
w not p
re
viously
c
it
e
d
(
whi
c
h is
g
e
n
era
lly not a
g
ood id
ea)
,
y
ou should
a
dvise the jud
g
e
a
nd opposing
c
ouns
e
l b
ef
o
re
h
a
nd,
a
nd b
r
ing
c
opi
e
s of those
ca
s
e
s
f
or the jud
g
e
a
nd opposing
c
ouns
e
l.
IV. Special Concerns Regarding Virtual Hearings
• Test your internet connection, microphone, and speakers in advance so as not to delay the hearing.
• Give the judge and opposing counsel ample time to finish their comments before you start speaking. In other words, don’t interrupt.
• Dress professionally.
V. Additional Notes
•
C
a
ll
c
h
a
mb
er
s to l
e
t the jud
g
e know
a
s soon
a
s
y
ou h
a
ve
re
solv
e
d
a
ny issue
c
u
rre
ntly p
e
ndin
g
. Ev
e
n thou
g
h
y
ou m
a
y h
a
ve
c
ome to a
re
solution, unl
e
ss the jud
g
e is m
a
de
a
w
ar
e of th
a
t, she is still wo
r
king on the issu
e
.
S
imil
ar
l
y
, if
y
ou h
a
ve s
e
ttl
e
d the
ca
s
e
, l
e
t the jud
g
e know
a
s soon
a
s possibl
e
.
•
B
e on tim
e
. No, be th
er
e
ear
ly so
y
ou
ca
n
g
e
t o
r
g
a
ni
z
e
d
a
nd
re
l
a
x
.
•
B
e judi
c
ious in
f
iling motions
a
s
e
m
er
g
e
n
c
y motions.
(
R
e
m
e
mb
e
r the boy who
cr
i
e
d
“
wol
f
.
”
) A
f
o
r
m
e
r
c
hi
e
f jud
g
e
a
dvis
e
d me wh
e
n I took the b
e
n
c
h th
a
t th
er
e w
er
e only two l
e
g
itim
a
te
e
m
er
g
e
n
c
i
e
s
—“
som
e
one is d
y
ing or the ship is s
a
ilin
g
.” And n
e
v
e
r
f
ile
a
n
e
m
er
g
e
n
c
y motion
a
t 4:45 p.m. on
Fr
id
a
y
af
t
er
noon.
•
W
h
e
n pointing out to the jud
g
e the
err
or of his w
a
y
s, do not use the ph
ra
se
“
with
a
ll due
re
sp
ec
t.” This ov
er
us
e
d ph
ra
se is list
e
d by
re
s
earc
h
er
s
a
t O
x
f
o
r
d Univ
er
sity
a
s the
f
i
f
th most i
rr
it
a
ting ph
ra
se in the En
g
lish l
a
n
g
u
a
g
e
.
•
R
ea
d the
L
o
ca
l
R
ul
e
s!
• Did I m
e
ntion, jud
g
e
s do not like su
r
p
r
is
e
s?
District Judges
Magistrate Judges
Duty Judge Assignment Schedule - District Judges
Duty Judge Assignment Schedule - Magistrate Judges
Federal Court Judges’ Practice Guide
Biographical Directory of Federal Judges
Judge Pairing Reference Sheet
Filing a Complaint of Judicial Misconduct/Disability
Judicial Seminar Disclosure
