The Role of the Appellate Court's Legal Staff

The legal staff of an appellate court include the clerks of court, short-term law clerks, career law clerks, and staff attorneys.

Guardians ad Litem

Guardian ad litem is a Latin term meaning "guardian at law." A guardian ad litem is a person appointed by the court to speak on behalf of a child and to protect the rights of the child during court proceedings. In some states, a guardian ad litem has to be a licensed attorney. In other states, a guardian ad litem does not have to be an attorney but must have special training and/or certification to be eligible to perform the functions of a guardian ad litem.

Personal Representatives

When a person dies, state law establishes legal procedures for settling the deceased person's estate. This process is called probate. If the person has a will, he/she may name someone to serve as personal representative. A personal representative is the executor or administrator of a deceased person's estate. In some states, the terms executor and administrator are used in place of personal representative. If no personal representative is specified by will or if the person dies intestate (without a will), the probate court will appoint someone to serve as personal representative.

Federal Court of Appeals Judges

The federal court system has an intermediate level appellate court, which is called the court of appeals. The President of the United States appoints all federal judges, including federal court of appeals judges. However, the United States Senate has to confirm each appointment. Federal judges are appointed for life.

Paralegals

Paralegals, also called legal assistants, perform substantive legal work under the supervision of an attorney. They perform a variety of duties that in the past were handled by attorneys. The attorney has ultimate responsibility for any legal work, and paralegals are not allowed to engage in the practice of law. They cannot give legal advice or present cases in court.