# *Eldred v. Ashcroft*

June 1, 2003 • Legal Briefs 

By Erik Jaffe 

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Learn more about [Cato’s Amicus Briefs Program](/about/cato-amicus-program).

This case involves the role of *amici curiae* and their impact on justice. The D.C. Circuit refused to consider additional arguments presented by *amici* in support of petitioners, thus eliminating any role for *amici* solely because those arguments had not been made or adopted by the parties — in violation Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 29. The decision is in the minority of a 6–4 circuit split regarding the role of *amici*. In this brief, the Eagle Forum Education & Legal Defense Fund joined Cato to argue that resolving the circuit split regarding the role of *amici* is important to the proper administration of the judicial system and to the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure.

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##### *Eldred v. Ashcroft* 

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##### About the Author 

![Erik S. Jaffe pic](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2021-08/erik-jaffe.jpg?itok=Sk31UmPy) 

##### Erik Jaffe 

Partner, Schaerr Jaffe LLP

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This work is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/). 

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