May it Please the Court?: The Perils of Correcting a Justice's Pronunciation

Abstract

This article examines a difficult dilemma often faced by trial and appellate lawyers: How should you respond when the judge questioning you mispronounces some word? Should you risk giving offense by correcting the judge? Or should you simply copy the mistake made by the court? The article looks at a recent case in which a young lawyer had to make that decision when arguing before the Supreme Court of the United States, and includes some recommendations as to how every lawyer should handle that awkward challenge.

Keywords: Appellate Advocacy; Trial Advocacy