

Texas Appellate Law Podcast
Todd Smith & Jody Sanders
Welcome to the Texas Appellate Law Podcast—your backstage pass to the Texas and federal appellate systems. Join your hosts, Texas appellate lawyers Todd Smith and Jody Sanders, as they explore the nuances of appellate advocacy with judges, court staff, leading trial and appellate practitioners, academics, and legal innovators. Whether you're immersed in an appeal or building your trial strategy, each episode delivers practical insights to help you enhance your advocacy skills, strengthen your arguments, and stay current with evolving legal trends.
Connect with us at texapplawpod.com or on LinkedIn and X (@texapplawpod).
Brought to you by Texas Appellate Counsel PLLC, a solo practice dedicated to appellate advocacy, trial support, and consulting for trial lawyers. For more information visit texappcounsel.com.
Sponsored by Court Surety Bond Agency and Counsel Press.
Produced and powered by LawPods, podcast marketing that converts prospects and drives revenue.
The views expressed by the participants on this podcast are their own and not those of their law firms, courts, or employers. Nothing you hear on this show establishes an attorney-client relationship or is legal advice.
Connect with us at texapplawpod.com or on LinkedIn and X (@texapplawpod).
Brought to you by Texas Appellate Counsel PLLC, a solo practice dedicated to appellate advocacy, trial support, and consulting for trial lawyers. For more information visit texappcounsel.com.
Sponsored by Court Surety Bond Agency and Counsel Press.
Produced and powered by LawPods, podcast marketing that converts prospects and drives revenue.
The views expressed by the participants on this podcast are their own and not those of their law firms, courts, or employers. Nothing you hear on this show establishes an attorney-client relationship or is legal advice.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 25, 2020 • 29min
How SCOTX Is Addressing the Coronavirus Pandemic | Blake Hawthorne
The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on our institutions on a systemic level, but technology has helped bridge gaps so business and life can go on. In this episode, Todd Smith and Jody Sanders interview Blake Hawthorne, the Texas Supreme Court Clerk, about the Court’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Blake discusses the emergency orders the Court has issued, access to courts, and tips for remote law practice in this “new normal,” so you definitely ought to listen to what he has to say!Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!Here’s How »Join the Texas Appellate Law Podcast Community today:appealsplus.comTwitterFacebookLinkedInYouTube

Mar 23, 2020 • 27min
Technology on Appeal, Present and Future | Blake Hawthorne
Courts all over Texas increasingly rely on technology to facilitate document filing and records management. On top of making the filing process more efficient, technology has helped improve the accuracy of court records. In this episode, Texas Supreme Court Clerk Blake Hawthorne joins Todd Smith and Jody Sanders to discuss his role at the Court, the increasing ways technology streamlines the appellate process, and new things on the horizon for the Supreme Court and court record access.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!Here’s How »Join the Texas Appellate Law Podcast Community today:appealsplus.comTwitterFacebookLinkedInYouTube

Mar 23, 2020 • 36min
SCOTX Petitions for Review and Decision Process | Justice Jeff Boyd
For lawyers with cases before the Texas Supreme Court, effective advocacy requires an intrinsic understanding of the petition-for-review and decision process. Todd Smith and Jody Sanders sit down for a conversation with Justice Jeff Boyd, who has served on the Court since 2012. Justice Boyd discusses his background, life at the Texas Supreme Court, and advocacy tips for appellate lawyers appearing before the Court.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!Here’s How »Join the Texas Appellate Law Podcast Community today:appealsplus.comTwitterFacebookLinkedInYouTube

Mar 22, 2020 • 18min
Notice of Our Appeal (Podcast)
What is appellate law? For practitioners of this craft, it varies from day to day and week to week based on the cases they work on in different courts. In their inaugural episode—recorded in the Texas Supreme Court courtroom—Todd Smith and Jody Sanders introduce themselves and share their respective journeys toward becoming appellate practitioners. They also share their vision for the podcast, which is to provide useful information for lawyers who handle appeals and those who don’t, but who want to learn more, through conversations with each other and guest interviews involving all aspects of appellate practice.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share!Here’s How »Join the Texas Appellate Law Podcast Community today:appealsplus.comTwitterFacebookLinkedInYouTube


