The Law

• Cases – published (and Free Lexis Search Engine)
• Compendium of unpublished decisions (Rule 23.0 decision, formerly Rule 1:28 decisions)
• Child Welfare Statutes  (and Searchable Legislative Databases)
• DCF Regulations
• DCF Policies
• Court Rules (including Rules of Appellate Procedure & Juvenile Court Rules)
• CAFL Summary of the 2019 Rules of Appellate Procedure
• CAFL Summary of July 2020 Appeals Court Rules
• Massachusetts Guide to Evidence (2022)

CAFL Appellate Practice

• Video Oral Argument Tips (April 2020)
• CAFL Zoom Best Practice Guide (7-31-2020)
• Handout for Clients to Prepare for Zoom Hearings (CAFL Zoom Guide addendum)
• Docketing Statements (To be filed within 14 days of docketing)
• Electronic Filing
• Electronic Notification – Register to receive electronic notifications from the Appeals Court (recommended for all appellate attorneys)
• Electronic Notification – Change of email address form
  
• Forms for Use in Appeals Court
• Appeals Court Clerk’s Guide to Electronic Briefs
• Hybrid Brief Protocol (for children supporting one aspect of the judgment but challenging other aspects of the judgment)
• Single Justice Practice/Interlocutory Review (How-to Guide, Model Petitions, Governing Rules, requesting appellate counsel)
• Trial Court Administrative Order 1-19: Transcription Procedure for Appellate Review
• Protocol Impounded Briefs/Proper Captions
• Massachusetts Appeals Court and SJC oral argument calendar 
• SJC Oral Arguments 
• Live SJC oral arguments 

CAFL Administration

• Administrative Forms and Resources (including appellate packet, billing information, and forms)
• CAFL Performance Standards (trial and appellate)
• Mentor Program Forms and Requirements

Appellate Bulletins and Other Releases

• Appellate Bulletins (2008-2020)
• 1:28 of the Week (2018-2019)
• CAFL Appellate Practice Tips

Brief-Writing Tips

General

• CAFL Brief-Writing Checklist
• Brief-Writing Tips
• Choosing a Font for your Appellate Brief
• Citing to Online Sources
• Bluebook Guide 20th ed (PowerPoint from Penn State Law)
• SJC Style Manual (2019-2020)

In Order of Appearance in an Appellate Brief

• Writing Proper Captions
• Drafting Headings and Table of Contents (written by Murray Kohn)
• Formatting Argument Headers
• Writing Compelling Issues Presented 
• Sample Introductions
• Writing a Better Facts Section
• Primacy and Recency (Facts Section)
• Drafting a Persuasive Summary of the Argument 
• How to Write Good Argument Headers
• Sample Conclusions
• Certificate of Compliance

General Writing Tips (Grammar, Punctuation, Etc.) (with lots of CAFL appellate examples)

• Parallelism
• Hyphens for Age and Duration
• Punctuation in Connection with Quotations
• Commas Done Right 

Training Materials, Models, Research

• Model Motions (Don’t reinvent the wheel!)
• Model Briefs, FAR, Moffett materials, Templates
• Model Post-Argument Letters
• Research Memos
• Due Process Issue/Resource Bank
• Training Materials (PowerPoint presentations from the CAFL Appellate Certification Training & other trainings)