The Appellate Record Blog: On Brevity

What do you think the reaction would be if you gave a court 152 pages of briefing in your next single issue case?

(I actually had a trial lawyer request that I move for nearly that many additional pages. I refused.)

Well the 11th Circuit recently graced the bar and the public with 3 opinions totaling 152 pages in a habeas corpus proceeding.

The case involved an inmate who killed a police officer in 1995, my first year of law practice. The single question was whether the Georgia Supreme Court had abused its discretion in denying the inmate's ineffective assistance claim.

The opinion is here, and an ABA Blog story here.

To be fair, one of the opinions was a three page concurrence from Judge Edmondson who refused to join main opinion because it was just too long.