Between 2000 and 2009, 196 amicus briefs were filed in civil cases. Appellants were far more likely to be on the winning side; appellants’ amici won 68% of the time (85 of 125 briefs) while appellees’ amici won only 36.62% of their cases (26 of 71).
Although in each case only a few briefs were filed, appellants’ amici were undefeated during these years in arbitration cases, workers compensation, commercial law, wills & estates and election law. Appellants’ amici in constitutional law cases won 80% of the time. Appellants’ amici in tort cases won 75.56%. Employment law appellants’ amici won 75% of their cases. Appellants’ amici in civil procedure cases won 73.33% of the time. Appellants’ amici in domestic relations cases won only 60% of their cases, while appellants’ amici in government and administrative law cases won only 52.63%. Appellants’ amici in insurance law, property law and tax law cases won less than half their cases.
Appellees’ amici lost all their cases in six areas of law – arbitration, domestic relations, employment law, commercial law, tax law and wills & estates law. Appellees’ amici won two-thirds of their cases in constitutional law, government and administrative law and insurance law. Appellees’ amici won half the time in workers compensation cases, but only won one-quarter of their cases in civil procedure. Appellees’ amici in tort cases – the most common area of law for appellees’ filings – won only 19.23% of their cases.
Join us back here later today as we look at the criminal law data for the same years.
Image courtesy of Flickr by Ken Lund (no changes).