Advanced Skills for Appellate Judges

This course will cover a variety of advanced topics of particular interest to appellate judges, including: 

• advanced opinion writing;
• balancing with colleagues in collaborative decision-making versus writing separately; 
• pros and cons of oral argument;
• factors in deciding whether or not to publish decisions;
• civility and professionalism;
• judicial ethics and judges’ use of social media;
• judicial deference to agency decisions – impact of recent developments;
• the human side of judging:  non-legal competences vital to good judging and longevity on the bench; 
• advanced statutory construction;
• judicial security;
• conferencing the case;
• judicial ethics and independent factual investigations;
• stare decisis and revisiting “settled law”; and
• judging, politics, and dealing with media and public perceptions.

In addition to structured, interactive presentations from faculty, participants will have several opportunities for peer-to-peer learning.

This course’s faculty is comprised of experienced judges who have served in an appellate capacity and instructors who are experts in the field of writing, logic and legal reasoning.

• Hon. Peter W. Agnes, Jr., Massachusetts Appeals Court (Ret.), CEO, Flaschner Judicial Institute
• Hon. David J. Barron, Chief Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit
• Hon. Daniel J. Crothers, North Dakota Supreme Court
• Prof. Keith R. Fisher, NJC, Director, Institute for Ethics & Professionalism
• Hon. Scott L. Kafker, Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts
• Hon. William J. Kayatta, Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit   
• Mr. Mark Lanterman, Chief Technology Officer, Computer Forensic Svces.
• Hon. Laurie McKinnon, Montana Supreme Court
• Hon. Paul L. Reiber, Chief Justice of Vermont
• Hon. Victor P. Stabile, Pennsylvania Superior Court
• Hon. Robert J. Torres, Chief Justice of Guam