A reviewing court can be an intimidating place, especially for the occasional appellate practitioner. Here are ten practical tips to put you at ease and strengthen your case.

Illinois is home to not only a talented group of reviewing-court judges, but also some procedural quirks that may be unfamiliar to the occasional appellate practitioner. With that in mind, here are 10 practical tips on various issues – some critical and some subtle – to improve one’s chances in an Illinois reviewing court prior to the oral-argument stage.

1. Standard of review is the key

The success of many, if not most, appeals rises and falls on the standard of review. Yet many practitioners fail to adequately develop an argument for the standard that best serves their appeal, while others entirely fail to identify an appropriate…