Procedural History as Advocacy

“Lawyers often regard procedural history as a formality and as something to endure, like the seat-belt announcement on an airplane,” writes Justice Michael B. Hyman of the Illinois Appellate Court, First District, in his November Illinois Bar Journal Judging Your Writing column, “Procedural History as Advocacy.” Yet, he continues, “when crafted strategically, procedural history can do much more than orient the court; it provides essential context that guides the court’s actions.” Justice Hyman discusses the importance of procedural histories and how to elevate them without overshadowing that matter itself. “The next time you write procedural history, explain why the court should care about what happens next. And if you can do that, you’ve turned what others treat as mere background into advocacy,” he concludes.

Read the November Illinois Bar Journal’s article, "Procedural History as Advocacy."