Episodes

Behind a well-functioning court system is an Office of Court Administration that ensures technology and processes are rightly placed. In this episode, Todd Smith and Jody Sanders interview the Administrative Director of the Texas Office of Court Administration, David Slayton, about how OCA supports Texas courts and helps streamline appellate practice. He shares with us the technology OCA uses to facilitate the courts’ work and provide a statewide platform for searching and monitoring cases. Addr...

Appellate law is not exempt from the global technological pivot we are experiencing in these strange times. Lawyers all over the nation are adopting technology in a way that they haven’t been forced to do up until now. Raffi Melkonian of Wright Close & Barger is the contemporary embodiment of the “lawyer of the future” in this age of video technology and social media. Known as the Dean of #AppellateTwitter among his followers, he has made significant inroads in turning the popular social media p...

Jody and Todd talk with Kent Rutter, appellate attorney and current chair of the State Bar of Texas Appellate Section. Kent talks about the State Bar Appellate Section and the numerous benefits that it offers its members. Kent also talks about an empirical study that he and other Haynes & Boone attorneys prepared analyzing reversal rates in the various Texas intermediate courts of appeals. Please contact Todd and Jody with questions, suggestions, or feedback on the episodes: Todd todd@appealspl...

Jody and Todd have their first double-guest show with Kendyl Hanks and Kristen LaFreniere a/k/a KVP. They talk about their experiences with appellate practice, social media, and issues affecting women practicing law. They also discuss the #LadyLawyerDiaries phenomenon on social media and bringing the legal community together to improve the practice of law for women and other underrepresented groups. Please contact Todd and Jody with questions, suggestions, or feedback on the episodes: Todd todd...

Todd and Jody talk with the first out-of-state guest, Jeff Richardson, a Louisiana appellate attorney and the person behind the website iPhone J.D. Jeff talks about integrating technology into litigation and appeals, and the many ways that an iPad can streamline appellate practice, from initial preparation to oral argument. Please contact Todd and Jody with questions, suggestions, or feedback on the episodes: Todd todd@appealsplus.com Jody jody.sanders@kellyhart.com Information on items discu...

Todd and Jody talk with Justice Ken Wise, Fourteenth Court of Appeals, the original Texas appellate podcaster. Justice Wise talks about his career on and off the bench, his Texas-history podcast, Wise About Texas, and things he has learned serving on both the trial and appellate benches. Please contact Todd and Jody with questions, suggestions, or feedback on the episodes: Todd todd@appealsplus.com Jody jody.sanders@kellyhart.com Information on items discussed: Justice Ken Wise: http://www.t...

Todd and Jody talk with Former Justice Scott Field, Third Court of Appeals, about transitioning from the bench to private practice and judicial mental health. Justice Field shares insights from the bench on effective advocacy and opens up about difficult times that judges have from some of the issues that they face. Please contact Todd and Jody with questions, suggestions, or feedback on the episodes: Todd todd@appealsplus.com Jody jody.sanders@kellyhart.com Information on items discussed: S...

A fundamental shift is happening in courtrooms throughout the state in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. More and more judges have taken to allowing remote appearances to promote continued social distancing and prevent the spread of the coronavirus. In this episode, Todd Smith and Jody Sanders speak with Judge Emily Miskel of the 470th District Court of Collin County, Texas about her experience with integrating remote hearings through technology. As more courts adopt these practices to keep their ...

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on our institutions on a systemic level, but technology has helped bridge gaps so business and life can go on. In this episode, Todd Smith and Jody Sanders interview Blake Hawthorne, the Texas Supreme Court Clerk, about the Court’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Blake discusses the emergency orders the Court has issued, access to courts, and tips for remote law practice in this “new normal,” so you definitely ought to listen to what he has to say! Lov...

Courts all over Texas increasingly rely on technology to facilitate document filing and records management. On top of making the filing process more efficient, technology has helped improve the accuracy of court records. In this episode, Texas Supreme Court Clerk Blake Hawthorne joins Todd Smith and Jody Sanders to discuss his role at the Court, the increasing ways technology streamlines the appellate process, and new things on the horizon for the Supreme Court and court record access. Love the...

For lawyers with cases before the Texas Supreme Court, effective advocacy requires an intrinsic understanding of the petition-for-review and decision process. Todd Smith and Jody Sanders sit down for a conversation with Justice Jeff Boyd, who has served on the Court since 2012. Justice Boyd discusses his background, life at the Texas Supreme Court, and advocacy tips for appellate lawyers appearing before the Court. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join the Texas...

What is appellate law? For practitioners of this craft, it varies from day to day and week to week based on the cases they work on in different courts. In their inaugural episode—recorded in the Texas Supreme Court courtroom—Todd Smith and Jody Sanders introduce themselves and share their respective journeys toward becoming appellate practitioners. They also share their vision for the podcast, which is to provide useful information for lawyers who handle appeals and those who don’t, but who want...