---
title: "Supreme Court & Appellate Practice"
description: "Stone Hilton provides precise Supreme Court and appellate representation. We work to correct errors and uphold favorable judgments for high-stakes cases."
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canonical_path: "/practice-areas/appeals"
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---

# Supreme Court & Appellate Practice

Victory in the highest courts requires procedural know-how, incisive written advocacy, and strategic insight. Our practitioners have worked inside those courts and practiced before them for decades.

## Expert Appellate Counsel

Appellate work demands a precise read of the record and the law. Led by [Judd E. Stone II](/team/judd-stone), our appellate practice brings a methodical, analytical, and creative approach to complex challenges. From briefs on the merits to original proceedings to emergency motions, our team will pursue every avenue for your interests.

## Holistic Trial Strategy

Our appellate lawyers are involved throughout your case: identifying claims, litigating key motions, drafting the jury charge, and consulting through trial. This approach ensures the best long-term outcomes through error and argument preservation.

### Interlocutory Emergencies

Obtaining relief from a higher court mid-litigation often requires creative jurisdictional arguments and aggressive tactics. We have succeeded on—and defeated—a range of actions from permissive appeals to writs of mandamus. Special procedural situations are muscle memory for Stone Hilton.

### Direct Appeal

Whether we have been with you in trial or we are taking over representation on appeal, we will perform a complete audit of the record and the arguments to overturn unfavorable judgments or protect good outcomes. Briefing and arguing in intermediate appellate courts is bread-and-butter work for our team.

### Petitioning for Review

Discretionary review in the highest courts is a completely different strategic and procedural beast. Our lawyers have participated in dozens of Texas and United States Supreme Court cases, and Chairman Judd Stone has argued eight cases on the merits before the United States Supreme Court.

> An appeal is never a continuation of the trial—it is a fundamentally distinct procedural arena. We built our appellate practice to step into that exact environment and assert total control, applying the highest levels of authority to end your exposure.

Attribution: Chris Hilton, Managing Partner

## Our trial team is highly capable. Why should we bring in separate appellate counsel?

Trial attorneys excel at developing evidence and crafting compelling narratives for juries; appellate attorneys focus on legal issues, procedural nuance, and judicial errors. Properly deployed, appellate "law nerds" are an essential supplement to any trial team, allowing every attorney to maximize their strengths.

## Do Stone Hilton's appellate practitioners participate at every phase of a case?

Absolutely. Our bench of practitioners will help guide your case from spotting your claims (or the plaintiff's weaknesses) to obtaining the jury's verdict to final appellate judgment. By overseeing legal strategy, appellate lawyers help maximize trial counsel's capacity to present your story to the jury and obtain the best outcome.

## My extraordinary situation falls outside the ordinary appellate blueprint. What can Stone Hilton do for me?

We have extensive experience deploying unconventional tactics in higher courts to facilitate review of trial-court decisions that impact your case or your business at any phase of litigation. While original proceedings and extraordinary writs are a procedural minefield most lawyers avoid, we charge ahead to overturn bad rulings and rein in maverick judges.