There is a very handy resource to keep nearby if you are working on a Tennessee State Court appeal. The Appellate Practice Committee of the Nashville Bar Association publishes a great handbook entitled Appellate Advocacy: A Handbook on Appellate Practice in Tennessee, Third Edition (June 30, 2006). It is comprehensive, free and available on-line. The introduction states as follows:
The purpose of this handbook is to provide a resource for answering questions about appellate practice as they actually occur to practitioners—as questions that arise in an actual case. Thus, the book retains its original question and answer format. Though the Rules of Appellate Practice may suggest an answer to a question, understanding which rules to apply and how each rule interrelates with other rules may cause confusion. Since the goal in all appeals, and indeed, in law in general, is for cases to be decided on their merits, this Handbook is intended to aid practitioners in preparing their cases so that the merits are the focus of their appeal.
The handbook is well organized and contains extensive citation to relevant reported and unreported decisions on appellate procedure. If you have never reviewed the guide I highly recommend that you take a look.
Dan Berexa
Nashville, Tennessee
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