Amicus Curiae Practice
A friend of the court, a voice for the D.C. bar
As a friend of the court, the BADC joins and files amicus briefs in state and federal appellate cases that matter most to its members and to the community it serves, offering careful argument where it may aid the bench.
The BADC participates as an amicus party, both as an Association and through its Sections, by preparing or joining briefs filed in appellate courts at the state and federal level. A "friend of the court" brief lets the BADC share relevant insight and persuasive argument that may assist judges deciding important, precedential cases, and gives its membership a critical voice. The BADC welcomes applications for amicus support.
Priority issues and selection criteria
What guides our review
Formal criteria keep the evaluation consistent and ensure the cases we support align with the BADC's mission and advocacy priorities.
How to apply
Requesting amicus support
Review the priority issues and selection criteria above, then submit the Amicus Curiae Request Form for a pending case. You may also write to the attention of the current President at staff@badc.org. Formal criteria streamline the evaluation and establish consistency in how requests are reviewed.
Start a request
For a pending case that fits the BADC's priorities and mission.
Amicus Curiae Request Form Email the President's officeRecent amicus activity
Briefs filed or joined
About the BADC
Founded in 1871, the BADC is among the three oldest bar associations in the nation, alongside the New York City and Boston bar associations. It is a general voluntary bar, free to advocate, distinguished from the mandatory bar. The BADC runs a Lawyer Referral Service for the District of Columbia, and its Foundation makes grants each year to legal-services providers who represent children and their families before D.C.'s courts.
Mission
The BADC seeks to promote civility, justice, and collegiality among members of the legal profession in the nation's capital.