PUBLISHED:December 16, 2014

Rabiej co-authors Federal Appellate Procedure Manual

John K. Rabiej, director of Duke Law’s Center for Judicial Studies, has co-authored the new Federal Appellate Procedure Manual with Judge Alex Kozinski of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Both have extensive, first-hand experience in the rulemaking process.

The manual, published by Juris Publications, is a comprehensive reference guide for new and experienced practitioners that includes the authors’ insights into the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure (FRAP). It begins with several sections on the jurisdiction of courts of appeals, focusing particularly on the final-decision doctrine. The remaining sections concentrate on FRAP rules that deal with civil cases, excluding, for the most part, consideration of habeas corpus, administrative agency decisions, Tax Court rulings, and criminal cases.

The authors highlight key passages in the FRAP Committee Notes most pertinent to understanding the rules. Comprehensive citations to very recent case law throughout the manual account for the many amendments and new FRAP rules and evolving case-law jurisprudence. 

Rabiej joined Duke Law after serving as executive director and director of judicial outreach for The Sedona Conference. He earlier served as chief of the Rules Committee Support Office for 20 years, staffing the six rules committees of the United States Judicial Conference.

Kozinski served as chief judge of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals from November 2007 to November 2014. He is also an essayist and judicial commentator.