Welcome to the First District Appellate American Inn of Court. The American Inns of Court is a national organization consisting of local Inns located in 48 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Tokyo. The mission of the Inn is to inspire the legal community to advance the rule of law by achieving the highest level of professionalism through example, education, and mentoring.
The First District Appellate American Inn was founded in 2008 and is specifically focused on appellate practice. Our membership consists of a mixture of approximately 75 members, including judges, professors, lawyers, and law students from Florida State University and the University of Florida. There are normally six membership meetings held during the year, generally at the First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee. Each meeting includes an educational program and informal dinner, and provides a wonderful opportunity for networking and professional enrichment. Pupilage teams, composed of judges, senior and junior lawyers, and students, are responsible for the monthly programs. Teams also meet regularly to discuss their upcoming program and to establish mentor/protégée relationships.
As reflected by the "Platinum Level" logos on this page, the First District Appellate American Inn of Court has been recognized as a model of American Inn of Court best practices. This honor is the result of the dedicated effort of past presidents, including The Honorable James R. Wolf (2008-2009); The Honorable Susan L. Kelsey (2009-2010); The Honorable Charles J. Kahn, Jr. (2010-2011); Michael G. Tanner (2011-2012); former First DCA Judge Peter D. Webster (2012-13); former First DCA Judge William A. Van Nortwick (2013-14); Ben J. Weaver (2014-15); The Honorable Bradford L. Thomas (2015-16); Chrissy Davis (2016-17); The Honorable Stephanie Ray (2017-18); Diana L. Johnson (2018-19); The Honorable Ross L. Bilbrey (2019-20); Diane DeWolf (2020-21); and The Honorable M.K. Thomas (2021-22).
We look forward to the future and are grateful for the enthusiastic and dedicated support of our members.
Thank you for your interest.
Courtney Brewer, President
Tallahassee, Florida