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Raffi Melkonian

@rmfifthcircuit.bsky.social

Appellate lawyer at Wright, Close & Barger in Houston, with a Fifth Circuit and TX appellate practice. So-called Dean, #appellatetwitter. Host of The Appellate Wanderer podcast

34,575 Followers  |  615 Following  |  7,116 Posts  |  Joined: 29.05.2023
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Posts by Raffi Melkonian (@rmfifthcircuit.bsky.social)

This really is perfect

07.03.2026 23:44 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I would never have known you value private property rights without a mention of Marx.

07.03.2026 18:42 β€” πŸ‘ 15    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0
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You know what really spices up an opinion rejecting a taking? Some discussion of Karl Marx

www.lasc.org/opinions/202...

07.03.2026 18:40 β€” πŸ‘ 31    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 10    πŸ“Œ 0

Uhhhhh

07.03.2026 15:30 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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It’s this, from Tartine

07.03.2026 15:28 β€” πŸ‘ 30    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

Half

07.03.2026 15:27 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
12687 calories

12687 calories

One thing I suggest not doing is calculating the total calories of the cake you’re reading about

07.03.2026 15:24 β€” πŸ‘ 65    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 8    πŸ“Œ 0

This rant about judges is probably about the tariffs case.

07.03.2026 06:01 β€” πŸ‘ 29    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

Can’t wait for his billboards. β€œEl Martillo de apelacion”

07.03.2026 04:58 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Defense counsel in Texas and other similar high verdict states really care about this case, and I don’t think they are going to like this opinion much.

07.03.2026 04:53 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Paul D. Clement is a pretty good plaintiff’s lawyer, it turns out.

www.supremecourt.gov/oral_argumen...

07.03.2026 04:51 β€” πŸ‘ 26    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0

It’s like a spray tan slot machine

07.03.2026 03:52 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

As I understand the flavor of skyline chili, it’s a sort of cinnamon spiked gravy with cheddar. How…. Does that translate?

07.03.2026 02:21 β€” πŸ‘ 18    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 8    πŸ“Œ 0

I love that Delaware’s civility bete noir, maybe still, was a Texas trial lawyer

07.03.2026 02:20 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Oh no these are not Europa universalis kinds of people

07.03.2026 02:18 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

This is one of the few foods I can’t even imagine the taste of.

07.03.2026 02:12 β€” πŸ‘ 87    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 18    πŸ“Œ 1

I finally figured it out: this Iran war feels like the kinds of wars I used to have in Civilization II after I saved the game and felt like seeing how big a mess I could make.

07.03.2026 01:12 β€” πŸ‘ 491    πŸ” 53    πŸ’¬ 18    πŸ“Œ 5

BG3 is *really* good. I haven't played a game through twice since I was 12, and this one I'm on run 3.

06.03.2026 22:25 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I wonder if there's an arbitration provision?

06.03.2026 20:44 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

what is this writing (again)

06.03.2026 19:36 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Sorry, y'all. I was focused on the lying part and didn't think about procedural posture. Same point, though!

06.03.2026 19:30 β€” πŸ‘ 15    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

It's sort of an opposite "With this affliction I will not contend."

"With your failure to surrender I will not contend."

06.03.2026 19:28 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Seriously, we're just leaving wins on the table, Carl.

06.03.2026 19:24 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

"The judgment below is reversed when I am in a position to not pay it."

Man, this appellate stuff is easy.

06.03.2026 19:23 β€” πŸ‘ 12    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

This is actually brilliant: you can end infinity wars if you just keep starting wars.

06.03.2026 19:19 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

lol

06.03.2026 19:00 β€” πŸ‘ 57    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 9    πŸ“Œ 0

That's the thing. They wanted to both say the refunds were easy (when they needed a stay to allow the tariffs to continue) and that the refunds were hard (when they need to pay them back).

06.03.2026 18:30 β€” πŸ‘ 123    πŸ” 23    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 0

Note of frivolity: The other day at the supermarket, I thought I'd found one of my old shopping lists in the cart. It wasn't; it was someone else's, but was on the same paper.

But for a moment I thought about what kind of adventures my list might have had while I was away and this delighted me.

06.03.2026 18:28 β€” πŸ‘ 68    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 5    πŸ“Œ 0

It doesn't read, to be fair, that they are refusing to pay, they're saying it will take a while. Which may well be fair.

06.03.2026 15:53 β€” πŸ‘ 42    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 6    πŸ“Œ 0

1. So sad too bad.

2. I think smoking out the implementation problems is a really good reason for the Judge to have entered his order requiring refunds immediately.

3. I'd forgotten about interest!

06.03.2026 15:51 β€” πŸ‘ 118    πŸ” 19    πŸ’¬ 5    πŸ“Œ 0