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

May 19, 2021

Information for Arguing Counsel Participating in Telephonic Arguments

1. Counsel Orientation

An 11-minute orientation for arguing counsel is available here. Arguing counsel, 

particularly those who have never participated in telephonic argument at the 

Federal Circuit, are strongly encouraged to view the orientation along with the 

information in this document. 

2. 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.

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

email for each panel.

3. 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 and preferred title (e.g., Mr., Ms., Mrs.);

b) the number we can use to contact you, if needed, 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. 
May 2021 2

4. Connecting to Your Argument

On the day of argument, please use the link provided in the email 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 5. 

Once all arguing counsel have joined, or at 9:15 a.m. (whichever is earlier), the 

courtroom deputy with take roll call, confirm time divisions and contact 

information, and provide additional orientation information. 

The public access line (streaming audio) will be connected at 9:45 a.m., and then 

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. Please remain on the line until dismissed by the courtroom 

deputy. 

5. Panel Members

The names of the panel members will be posted on the Daily Schedule of the 

court’s website under the Argument menu 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, and this information will also be on the 

public audio access feed.

6. 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.
May 2021 3

7. 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”). Where 

counsel are dividing argument, a separate time cue will be given for each 

counsel.

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.

8. 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. 

9. Handling Call Disruptions

If you disconnect from the conference during your case, the courtroom 

deputy will announce the disconnection and we will pause the proceeding and 

clock while we attempt to reconnect you using the number you provided. If we 

are unable to reconnect after a minute, try re-entering the teleconference 

through the link provided via email. If that does not work, please call the 

Clerk’s Office at 202-275-8049.

If you disconnect from the conference before the courtroom deputy has 

introduced your case, you can attempt to re-enter the teleconference through 

the link provided via email. If that does not work, please call the Clerk’s Office 

at 202-275-8049. The courtroom deputy will only attempt to reconnect you if you 

remain off the teleconference at the time your case is called.
May 2021 4

10.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. However, coarguing counsel who are co-located for the argument may connect through a 

single connection.

Multiple arguing counsel may share a single phone, though it is discouraged. If 

you will be sharing a phone with a co-counsel, please inform the court of your 

intention in response to the connection information email.

11.Public Access Information

Given the extraordinary public health emergencies in the National Capital 

Region and the resulting restrictions on public access to the courthouse, the U.S. 

Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is providing media and public access to 

the audio stream of each panel scheduled for argument during the court's 

monthly sessions. 

The streaming audio feeds begin at approximately 9:30 a.m. (Eastern) each 

scheduled day of argument and are available here or the Daily Schedule on the 

court’s website. Attendees should plan to connect to the feed no later than 9:45 

a.m. since arguments may start before 10:00 a.m. Recordings of all arguments 

will be posted on the court’s website after the conclusion of arguments each day.

If you have additional questions before your argument, please email 

attorneyservices@cafc.uscourts.gov or call 202-275-8035.