Oral Arguments
Fourteen to eighteen sittings are usually scheduled each month between September and June. The Court's Boston sittings are held in Courtrooms Three and Four on the third floor of the John Adams Courthouse. In addition, the Court usually schedules one sitting each month at a location outside of Boston; some of those sittings are conducted at law schools, while others are held at courthouses.
Sittings usually begin at 9:30 A.M., with six cases scheduled for oral argument. As one faces the bench, the appellant (appealing party) is seated at the table to the left of the lectern, and the appellee at the table to the right. Each side is allowed fifteen minutes to argue; rebuttal is not permitted. If there is more than one party on the same side, the parties should divide their side's fifteen-minute time allotment. Oral arguments are digitally recorded and are preserved.
Sittings are open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis. Standees are not permitted. Food and drink are also not permitted in the courtrooms.