Category: Appellate, 1-Hour or Less Category: Appellate, 1-Hour or Less (show less)

The Florida Bar Appellate Practice Section presents “Going Back to First Principles – Where to Find Them and How to Argue Them Effectively,” a program focused on identifying and persuasively applying the foundational legal doctrines that shape appellate advocacy and judicial decision-making. The CLE will explore how practitioners can use constitutional text, statutory structure, common-law principles, historical sources, and interpretive canons to strengthen legal arguments in both trial and appellate courts. 

Learning Objectives
As a result of attending this session, the learner will be better able to:
 

1. Identify the primary sources of foundational legal principles, including constitutional text, statutory structure, common law, and traditional interpretive canons.
2. Analyze how first-principles reasoning can strengthen appellate and trial-level advocacy in cases involving unsettled or complex legal issues.
3. Develop effective strategies for incorporating historical context, precedent, and legal philosophy into persuasive written and oral advocacy.
4. Recognize common pitfalls in first-principles arguments and evaluate how courts assess the credibility and practical impact of those arguments.

12:10 PM - 1:10 PM
Going Back to First Principles – Where to Find Them and How to Argue Them Effectively
Hon. Judge Carrie Ann Wozniak, Kevin Golembiewski, and Christopher Donovan