Here Come De Judge

By PAUL GRAY/

Bad behavior at the bar? With unusual candor, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy says lawyers are not measuring up: "We see shoddy practice in every court in the country, including the Supreme Court of the United States. We are sometimes very disappointed in the quality of oral arguments." This verdict need not be final. Kennedy sees an appeal in one of his favorite projects: the American Inns of Court, launched in 1980, which now has 8,000 members, including about 25% of all federal judges. The idea is that experienced attorneys should pass on their skills to neophytes. "We teach these young lawyers that you must never go into court, even for a three-minute motion, without being prepared." And does such preparation matter? "Don't ever think for a moment that advocacy doesn't make a difference. It does. It makes a difference in the Supreme Court."

With reporting by David E. Thigpen