I'm a little belated on this, but generally amicus curiae are done at the highest appellate level - for example, you would probably see them at a majority of U.S. Supreme Court cases. Special interest groups, scholars, and law firms use these as a way to get their own messages across to the court - and it is not as sinister as it sounds. Recently, my firm considered drafting an amicus curiae for a case coming before the state supreme court. In its holding, the lower court drastically altered the way most practitioners interpreted and applied a certain procedural statute. Needless to say, there was great interest in making sure the supreme court understood the realities of the practice.



DSW

DSW