Oral Argument
A hearing where lawyers present argument directly to the appellate court, when the court grants one.
Oral argument is a hearing in which appellate lawyers present their case directly to the panel of judges reviewing it, answering questions and reinforcing the written brief's arguments. Not every appeal includes oral argument, and when it does happen, it generally supplements the written brief rather than replacing it. Appellate advocacy is centered on the brief; oral argument is secondary to it.
Preparing for oral argument is itself specialized work, since the lawyer has to anticipate the judges' questions and defend the brief's positions live, without the ability to revise the written argument in the moment.