Tuesday, July 29, 2003

More on the case of the unruly footnote

Ethicalesq's contribution is here in the discussion of the bar discipline imposed on an Indiana lawyer for writing a nasty footnote in an appellate brief.

Not too long ago, I filed a motion for reconsideration in a state court case, and I told the judge that I had once seen Justice Stevens address the Seventh Circuit judicial conference on C-SPAN and his remarks included some humorous discussion of the function of the petition for rehearing, that these were often filed and almost never granted, but they served the salutary purpose of allowing the losing lawyers to blow off steam, which was a matter of real benefit to the safety and welfare of the public at large - but having said all that, I insisted, my motion was not that kind at all, but a really serious motion I hoped he would consider carefully.

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