Appellate Practice

Overview

In addition to representing clients in disputes at the trial court level or in administrative proceedings, Dickinson Bradshaw's litigators regularly handle appeals for clients in state and federal court. We have extensive experience before the Iowa Supreme Court, the Iowa Court of Appeals, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. In addition, many of the members of the practice area are admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.

Several of the attorneys in the practice area served as judicial law clerks prior to joining Dickinson Bradshaw, giving them a unique perspective in the field of appellate practice. Our attorneys are involved in every step of the appellate process, beginning with the filing of a notice of appeal, and concluding with a final decision from the relevant court of last resort. Throughout the process, our litigators use their skills and experience in appellate advocacy in all aspects of a case, including summary judgment and other significant motions, post-trial proceedings, and providing advice to other attorneys regarding vital error preservation issues in order to position cases for effective appellate review.

Additionally, our litigators have experience appealing the results of administrative agency proceedings, both within the administrative agency hierarchy, and, if procedurally appropriate, before an appellate tribunal within the court system. We also participate in appeals as a "friend of the court," submitting amicus curiae briefs when in the interest of our clients. Moreover, Dickinson Bradshaw's litigation attorneys have experience requesting that courts of limited jurisdiction, such as the United States Supreme Court, consider rulings of lower courts that are adverse to our clients, by the process of submitting petitions for Certiorari.