CAFL Appellate Panel Certification Training (May 2020)
Now accepting applications
The CAFL Appellate Panel Support Unit is now accepting applications for the spring 2020 CAFL Appellate Certification Training. This training will be held May 5, 6, and 7, 2020 at the office of Community Legal Aid, 405 Main Street, Worcester. The application deadline is March 31, 2020.
For more information about the training, click here: CAFL appellate panel training notice – 2020
To download the application, click here: CAFL Appellate Panel Application – May 2020
Appellate Practice Tools and Resources
** Please note: the new Rules of Appellate Procedure went into effect on March 1, 2019. The CAFL Appellate Panel Support Unit has created a Summary of the Rules of Appellate Procedure for the CAFL appellate lawyer.
The Law
- Cases – published (and Free Lexis Search Engine)
- Compendium of Unpublished Child Welfare Decisions (Rule 1:28 decisions)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
- Massachusetts Guide to Evidence (2019)
CAFL Appellate Practice
- 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
- 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)
- 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 (2008-2019)
- 1:28 of the Week (2018-2019)
- CAFL Appellate Practice Tips (2018-2019)
Brief-Writing Tips
General
- CAFL Brief-Writing Checklist
- Brief-Writing Tips (Soups to Nuts)
- 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)
- 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 2019 Appellate Certification Training)
See all Professional Resources