James R. Laytonby Jim Layton
The American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, a select group of very experienced appellate advocates, has published its recommendations for appellate courts to hear oral arguments remotely. The recommendations were prepared by a task force led by Academy Fellow Jim Layton of Tueth Keeney. They were based on the remote argument experience of Academy Fellows, their colleagues, and clients.
The recommendations emphasize three principles:
- That remote oral argument be used instead of submitting on the briefs cases that would have been argued to a panel before COVID-19;
- That remote argument be as much like in-person argument as possible; and
- That clients and the public have at least as much access to remote oral arguments as they have access to in-person arguments.
The recommendations are available at https://www.appellateacademy.org/about/072020_news.cfm.
Appellate Practice – Tueth Keeney lawyers have briefed and argued hundreds of appeals, including appeals in all Missouri and Illinois state and federal appellate courts and in the U.S. Supreme Court. The Appellate Practice Group represents clients on a wide range of issues impacting businesses, individuals, government entities, and educational institutions. Tueth Keeney attorneys are also available to contribute their considerable experience (including more than 90 arguments before the Missouri Supreme Court) to appeals handled by others’ strategizing, assisting with briefs, and preparing for oral argument.
James Layton leads the firm’s Appellate practice group and is a member of the firm’s Commercial Litigation, Labor, and Education groups. He assists clients with analysis and presentation of complex legal issues in Missouri and federal courts, both trial and appellate. In addition to handling cases himself and with other attorneys at Tueth Keeney, Jim consults with clients on appellate strategy and assists other counsel in high-stakes, complex appeals.
Jim has briefed and argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and before all Missouri appellate courts-including nearly 100 cases before the Missouri Supreme Court. He has represented clients in U.S. district courts and in Missouri circuit courts from Jackson County to the City of St. Louis. He has extensive experience with government-related litigation and state taxation disputes. Jim is a fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, a past president of the Bar Association of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and a past chair of the American Bar Association’s Council of Appellate Lawyers. He is a frequent speaker in the areas of appellate practice and constitutional law, both state and federal.