The “First Circuit,” “1st Cir.”, “CA1,” “the Circuit,” or “the Court” — these are all ways to refer to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, depending on the type of citation system. The most common guide…
Category: The Practice of Law
Reconsidering the Non-Reconsideration of Motions to Reconsider in State Court
The mulligan is one of the great unwritten rules in golf. Smack a duck hook in the water? No problemo, tee up a new ball. Completely whiff with a massive John Daly-esque swing, but the wind pushes the ball one…
SCOTUS follows SCOTUS, the Circuit follows the Circuit, but D.J.s don’t follow D.J.s. What gives?
One interesting facet of the federal court system is its hierarchical structure. The thirteen Circuit Courts of Appeals that sit directly below the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) must follow the Supreme Court’s binding precedent. The District Courts…
Feds say POTato, State says PotATO, Let’s Call The Whole Pleading Thing Off
Federal and state courts each have their own separate rules of civil procedure, but it’s a long-standing tenet of Rhode Island law that state and federal rules with similar language are generally interpreted the same. Heal v. Heal, 762 A.2d…
What’s the Deal with the U.S. District Judge and U.S. Attorney Vacancies?
The United States District Court has been down a judge for over two years, and the U.S. Attorney’s office has sat vacant since March 2017. How did we get here and what’s taking so long? Both positions require Presidential nomination…