Who is who in a federal case
Notice of Appearance
A notice of appearance is the filing by which a lawyer tells the court and the parties that they now represent someone in the case.
Filing it puts the attorney on the service list so they receive every electronic notice, and it is the reason a docket's counsel block is the fastest way to see who is on which side.
Getting out is harder than getting in. Withdrawing usually requires a motion, a showing of good cause, and often the client's consent or a substitution of new counsel.
The counsel block is one of the most valuable parts of any docket. It tells you which firms are involved, how many lawyers each side has assigned, and, when new names appear late, that something in the case has changed.
How it appears on a docket
NOTICE OF APPEARANCE by attorney R. Okonjo on behalf of Acme Logistics, Inc. Attorney added to the case and to electronic notice.
Related terms
- Pro Hac Vice — Pro hac vice is permission for a lawyer admitted in another state to appear in a specific case in this court, for this case only.
- CM/ECF — CM/ECF is the federal courts' Case Management and Electronic Case Files system, the software each court uses to receive filings and maintain its docket.
More on who is who in a federal case
See this term in a real case
Search federal court records and read the filings where notice of appearance actually shows up. New to federal dockets? Start with how to find a federal case.