A time-honored authority, Appellate Practice in Massachusetts examines the appellate process at every level and court in the Commonwealth, in both civil and criminal matters. It covers the appellate process and offers valuable insight into the art of effective appellate advocacy in civil and criminal cases. This manual includes practical information on how to assess the decision to appeal, how alternative dispute resolution works at the appellate level, standards of review and the mechanics of appeal in the various courts. In-depth guidance is offered on how to draft appellate briefs. The role of the amicus brief, oral advocacy and post-decision practice are featured, as is single justice practice.The art of appeal
Also featured, and previously available only to Massachusetts courts, is an Appendix containing selected Massachusetts cases on the standards of appellate review. This list of selected cases is an invaluable aid for researching key legal issues in cases where appellate review turns on error of law, abuse of discretion and prejudice.
Inside, you will find new material on topics such as the following:
- Appeals to the full court. In chapter 1, find several recent cases, including appeals to the full court from single justice denials of petitions pursuant to G.L. c. 211, § 3, where the court has adopted SJC Rule 2:21, a special rule for processing these appeals.
- Applications for further appellate review. See chapter 3, which cites a 2023 case discussing whether the failure to instruct the jury on the Commonwealth's burden to prove that the defendant knew that one of the coventurers was armed and masked created a substantial miscarriage of justice.
- Appeal of conviction. See chapter 7 for a discussion of the process by which the defendant may tender a guilty plea or an admission to sufficient facts and reserve the right to appeal any ruling or rulings that, if reversed, would render the Commonwealth’s case not viable on one or more charges.
- Rejection of e-filed brief of appendix. In chapter 13, find an updated Notice of Docket Entry, where the clerk of courts will advise as to a nonconforming brief.
- Unpreserved errors in noncapital cases. Chapter 15 adds information on the Freeman standard. It lists the four questions the appellate court will ask when considering and reviewing the case as a whole.
Table of Contents
Chapter 01 - Supreme Judicial CourtA. W. Phinney, III, Esq.,
Supreme Judicial Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Neal G. Quenzer, Esq.,
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
Chapter 02 - Massachusetts Appeals Court
Barbara Margaret Farrell, Esq.,
Appeals Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Chapter 03 - Allocating the Appellate Caseload
Judith E. Michelman, Esq.,
Supreme Judicial Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Neal G. Quenzer, Esq.,
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
Chapter 04 - Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
Judith H. Mizner, Esq.,
Federal Public Defender Office
Chapter 05 - Appellate Divisions of the Massachusetts District Court
Hon. Mark S. Coven,
Quincy District Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Checklist 5.1 - Checklist for Appealing a District Court Decision to the District Court Appellate Division
Chapter 06 - Preserving Appellate Rights in the Massachusetts Superior Court
Rebecca Kiley, Esq.,
Committee for Public Counsel Services
Scott H. Kremer, Esq.,
Kazarian Law
Checklist 6.1 - Pretrial Preservation of the Right to Appeal in Civil Cases
Chapter 07 - Preserving Appellate Rights in the Massachusetts District Court
Hon. Zachary Hillman,
Administrative Office of the District Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Chapter 08 - Analyzing the Decision to Appeal
Tad Heuer, Esq.,
Foley Hoag LLP
Chapter 09 - Alternative Dispute Resolution in the First Circuit
Hon. Patrick J. King,
Checklist 9.1 - Checklist for the Settlement Conference
Exhibit 9A - U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit Civil Appeals Management Program
Exhibit 9B - Notice of Mandatory Pre-argument Settlement Conference
Chapter 10 - Standards of Review
Alex G. Philipson, Esq.,
Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Chapter 11 - Mechanics of Appeal in the State Courts
Barbara Margaret Farrell, Esq.,
Appeals Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hon. Francis V. Kenneally,
District Court Department, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hon. Peter Sacks,
Appeals Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Chapter 12 - Practice Before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
Judith H. Mizner, Esq.,
Federal Public Defender Office
Chapter 13 - The Appendix and Brief: A Judicial Perspective
Hon. Gregory I. Massing,
Appeals Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Exhibit 13A - Appeals Court Checklist for Preparation of Brief and Record Appendix
Exhibit 13B - Appeals Court Letter Regarding Rejection of E-Filed Brief or Appendix
Chapter 14 - The Appellate Brief: A Practitioner’s Perspective
Dana A. Curhan, Esq.,
Curhan Law Office
Chapter 15 - Special Considerations in Criminal Briefs
Patricia A. DeJuneas, Esq.,
Sibbison, DeJuneau & Allen LLP
Patrick Levin, Esq.,
Committee for Public Counsel Services
Chapter 16 - The Attorney General’s Participation in Appeals
David C. Kravitz, Esq.,
Office of the Attorney General, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Exhibit 16A - Representative Cases in Which the Attorney General Has Filed Briefs as Amicus or Intervenor
Chapter 17 - Role of the Amicus
Joanne D'Alcomo, Esq.,
Jack Mikels & Associates, LLP
Exhibit 17A - Sample Motion for Leave to File Amicus Brief in First Circuit
Exhibit 17B - Sample Motion for Leave to File Amicus Brief
Exhibit 17C - Sample Motion for Leave to File Amicus Brief in Lower Court (United States District of Massachusetts)
Chapter 18 - Oral Argument
Hon. Ariane D. Vuono,
Appeals Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Chapter 19 - Appellate Disposition
Catherine S. Lombardo, Esq.,
Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo, PC
Chapter 20 - Postdecision Practice
Hon. Joseph M. Ditkoff,
Appeals Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Chapter 21 - Single Justice Practice in the Supreme Judicial Court
Maura S. Doyle, Esq.,
Supreme Judicial Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Chapter 22 - Single Justice Practice in the Massachusetts Appeals Court
Patricia Campbell Malone, Esq.,
Appeals Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Joseph F. Stanton, Esq.,
Appeals Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Chapter 23 - Single Justice Practice in the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
Judith H. Mizner, Esq.,
Federal Public Defender Office
Appendix
Selected Massachusetts Cases on Standards of Review
Henry G. Weaver, Jr., Esq.,
Authors
Editor(s)Neal G. Quenzer, Esq.,
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, Boston
Hon. Peter Sacks,
Appeals Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
Author(s)
Hon. Mark S. Coven,
Quincy District Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Quincy
Dana A. Curhan, Esq.,
Curhan Law Office, Boston
Joanne D'Alcomo, Esq.,
Jack Mikels & Associates, LLP, Quincy
Patricia A. DeJuneas, Esq.,
Sibbison, DeJuneau & Allen LLP, Boston
Hon. Joseph M. Ditkoff,
Appeals Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
Maura S. Doyle, Esq.,
Supreme Judicial Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
Barbara Margaret Farrell, Esq.,
Appeals Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
Tad Heuer, Esq.,
Foley Hoag LLP, Boston
Hon. Zachary Hillman,
Administrative Office of the District Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
Hon. Francis V. Kenneally,
District Court Department, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
Rebecca Kiley, Esq.,
Committee for Public Counsel Services, Boston
Hon. Patrick J. King,
David C. Kravitz, Esq.,
Office of the Attorney General, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
Scott H. Kremer, Esq.,
Kazarian Law , Boston
Patrick Levin, Esq.,
Committee for Public Counsel Services, Boston
Catherine S. Lombardo, Esq.,
Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo, PC, Boston
Patricia Campbell Malone, Esq.,
Appeals Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
Hon. Gregory I. Massing,
Appeals Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
Judith E. Michelman, Esq.,
Supreme Judicial Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
Judith H. Mizner, Esq.,
Federal Public Defender Office, Boston
Alex G. Philipson, Esq.,
Superior Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
A. W. Phinney, III, Esq.,
Supreme Judicial Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
Neal G. Quenzer, Esq.,
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, Boston
Hon. Peter Sacks,
Appeals Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
Joseph F. Stanton, Esq.,
Appeals Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
Hon. Ariane D. Vuono,
Appeals Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston
Henry G. Weaver, Jr., Esq.,
