UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FEDERAL CIRCUIT

717 MADISON PLACE, N.W.

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20439

PETER R. MARKSTEINER

CLERK OF COURT

CLERK’S OFFICE

202-275-8000

August 24, 2020

Instructions for Arguing Counsel Participating in Telephonic Arguments

1. Telephone Conference Information

By the Tuesday before the start of the month’s session, you will receive an email

containing a link to the telephone conference information for your scheduled 

argument. Regardless of whether you attend the optional orientation session, 

please look for an email from our office with your argument conference 

connection information. 

Note: If you are arguing before more than one panel, you will receive a separate 

email for each panel.

2. Confirming Contact Information and Argument Time

By the close of business the Wednesday before the start of the month’s 

session, please reply to the above email confirming 

a) the name of arguing counsel;

b) the number we can use to contact you on the day of argument; and 

c) the amount of time you will be arguing, including any time for rebuttal

and the order in which you intend to argue if you are sharing time with 

co-counsel or if your case involves more than two arguing parties. 

We strongly encourage you to use a landline or wired VOIP connection to 

minimize connectivity and audio quality issues. 

3. Connecting to Your Argument

On the day of argument, please use the provided link to connect to the 

teleconference between 9:00 and 9:15 a.m. (Eastern). You will not be able 

to connect until 9:00 a.m. Instructions follow on page 4. 
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Once you connect to the conference, please remain on the line until 

dismissed by the courtroom deputy. Once all arguing counsel have joined, 

or at 9:30 a.m. (whichever is earlier), the courtroom deputy with take roll call 

and confirm time divisions. You must be on the call no later than 9:30 a.m. 

The judges will be connected individually in order of seniority beginning at 9:50

a.m. The courtroom deputy will confirm everyone is present before court begins, 

which may be before 10:00 a.m. Each case will be argued one after the other 

with only a brief pause in between each case, regardless of how long the 

argument for the preceding case lasts. Unless otherwise noted, cases will be 

heard in the order listed on the court calendar.

4. Panel Members

The names of the panel members will be posted on the court’s website under the 

Upcoming Oral Arguments section under the Argument tab no later than 9:00 

a.m. the morning of the session. The courtroom deputy will also identify the 

names of the panel members after roll call has concluded.

5. Presenting Your Argument

At the start of each new case, counsel scheduled to argue that case will be 

unmuted. All other counsel will remain muted. We recommend counsel 

individually mute themselves when opposing counsel is speaking. 

To improve sound quality, we recommend arguing counsel use a headset. 

If using the speakerphone setting while presenting argument, please sit close to

and speak directly toward the speakerphone receiver to minimize sound 

distortion and echo. 

Please minimize the movement of papers during the argument and avoid placing 

papers directly in front of a speakerphone.

6. Tracking Time During Your Argument

The courtroom deputy will start the clock when counsel begins speaking (“green 

light”). Counsel will hear one tone when entering any rebuttal time (“yellow 

light”) and one tone when time has expired (“red light”). We recommend that 

counsel have a means for monitoring time apart from the tone cues, and counsel 

should disable or mute any personal sound cues. 

Note: With some mobile devices, a timer sound cue will still be audible even if 

the device is set to silent mode. The timer sound cue must still be disabled.
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7. Argument Recording

There will be an automated message whenever the recording starts and stops, 

usually at the beginning and end of each argument. Please wait for direction 

from the presiding judge or the courtroom deputy before speaking. When the 

conference is being recorded, the court is in session and ordinary rules 

of decorum apply.

Because the court will be posting the audio recording of each argument, please 

do not separately record the argument. 

8. Handling Call Disruptions

If you drop from the conference during your case, the courtroom deputy 

will announce the dropping, pause the proceeding and clock, and attempt to 

reconnect you using the number you provided. Please wait a moment before 

contacting the court. If we are unable to reconnect after a minute, try reentering the teleconference through the link provided via email. If that does not 

work, please call the Clerk’s Office at 202-275-8049.

9. Limit of One Connection Per Arguing Counsel

To minimize call connections, we are only permitting one conference 

connection per arguing counsel. You may have others present with you 

during argument to listen to the call with you but they may not separately 

connect to the call and they must remain quiet. Courtroom staff will disconnect 

any connections beyond the one connection for arguing counsel. 

10.Public Access Information

We are providing a separate public access line for non-arguing co-counsel and 

any other interested parties and members of the media to listen to live audio of 

each argument. Public access information for each panel will be available on the 

court’s website by 9:00 a.m. (Eastern) on the first day of the court’s monthly 

session. Access information will be available at 

http://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/public-access-arguments.

If you have additional questions before your argument, please email 

attorneyservices@cafc.uscourts.gov.