Jo Ann Shotwell Kaplan Quoted in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

In an unusual matter, lawyers for the Department of Justice have asked a panel of three appellate judges in Washington, DC to seal a transcript of an oral argument that had been presented in an open courtroom.

The case, Kiyemba v. Obama, involves a Guantanamo Bay detainee.  The panel of judges has been asked to decide whether a U.S. District Court judge has the authority to order the release of detainees.

Jo Ann Shotwell Kaplan, a well-respected appellate attorney who is not involved in the case, stated that the request to seal the transcript is “highly unusual, but these are highly unusual cases.” Jo Ann goes on to say that given the potential issues of national security, the request may not be “as crazy as it appears.”

Click here to read the complete article and the rest of Jo Ann’s comments.