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There are a number of judges I'd like to apply to that don't use OSCAR. I was planning on sending them paper applications, however, I'm wondering if that's an exercise in futility given everything going on with COVID-19.

Is it still worth sending the paper apps? Or would it make more sense to wait? Any insight would be appreciated.

Who knows if it's a waste of time?

Better way to think about it:

Downside risk: wasted paper/postage

Upside: clerkship interview granted

Why not send them?

Who knows if it's a waste of time?

Better way to think about it:

Downside risk: wasted paper/postage

Upside: clerkship interview granted

Why not send them?

I appreciate this perspective. I'm wondering if current clerks have insight on hiring practices, but I get where you're coming from.

My only concern is my app getting buried now, whereas if i wait, it might have better visibility. Again, just speculation.

Jgd272 wrote:

Who knows if it's a waste of time?

Better way to think about it:

Downside risk: wasted paper/postage

Upside: clerkship interview granted

Why not send them?

I appreciate this perspective. I'm wondering if current clerks have insight on hiring practices, but I get where you're coming from.

My only concern is my app getting buried now, whereas if i wait, it might have better visibility. Again, just speculation.

If I were you, I would send one round off applications right now, followed by a second round later on.

But I'm also interested in hearing current clerks' perspectives on this.

At my court (COA), basically everyone is working from home. For my judge's chambers, and probably most others as well, mail isn't being checked very regularly, and when it is, the person checking the mail is only looking at essential correspondence. I would be surprised if I heard that any of the judges on this court were looking at paper clerkship applications now or had any plans to do so as long as stay-at-home orders remain in place.

Anonymous User wrote:At my court (COA), basically everyone is working from home. For my judge's chambers, and probably most others as well, mail isn't being checked very regularly, and when it is, the person checking the mail is only looking at essential correspondence. I would be surprised if I heard that any of the judges on this court were looking at paper clerkship applications now or had any plans to do so as long as stay-at-home orders remain in place.

I agree with this advice. The vast, vast majority of clerks and judges are working from home. I imagine your application wouldn't get reviewed for quite awhile. It's up to you, OP. But it might get stuck in a big pile of unopened mail and ignored.

I agree - I guess there's no real drawback to applying now, but I doubt you're getting a serious look until this is all over. That was regularly true in my chambers under much less dire circumstances (weeks of trial, lengthy hearings, and oral arguments). If nothing else, most judges still prefer in-person interviews, and it doesn't make sense to start looking through the stack until the judge can offer you an interview in the very near future.

This was very helpful. I recently received an interview with a D.Ct., but it is scheduled far out into the future. I don't know if that is going to be the norm right now. I suppose it can't hurt to send out applications but I do wonder if they're going to be unread.

Anonymous User wrote:At my court (COA), basically everyone is working from home. For my judge's chambers, and probably most others as well, mail isn't being checked very regularly, and when it is, the person checking the mail is only looking at essential correspondence. I would be surprised if I heard that any of the judges on this court were looking at paper clerkship applications now or had any plans to do so as long as stay-at-home orders remain in place.

seconding this (from a D. Ct. in a large courthouse). we are working remotely and cannot locate the mail even for courtesy copies of major filings.