High confidence· verified September 26, 2026Local Rules
Summary
5th Cir. R. 34.8 — Criminal Justice Act Cases: the court's own rule, verbatim from RULES and INTERNAL OPERATING PROCEDURES OF THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT (December 2025), official PDF, sha-custodied. Court-level requirement: applies to appeals in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit alongside the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure.
Requirement
The court expects court-appointed counsel to
present oral argument. An associate attorney not appointed under the act may present
argument only under the most pressing and unusual circumstances, and upon the court’s
advance authorization.
Source of truth
The court expects court-appointed counsel to
present oral argument. An associate attorney not appointed under the act may present
argument only under the most pressing and unusual circumstances, and upon the court’s
advance authorization.