The absurd Catch-22 at the heart of Kowalski v. Tesmer.

Pop quiz for "Jurisprudence" readers:

1. If I want to appeal my criminal conviction to the Michigan Court of Appeals, how many copies of my brief must I file?

a) Two            
b) Five
c) Seven
d) Nine
e) It doesn't matter

2. Where should I file my appeal?

a) Hall of Justice, 2^nd Floor, Lansing, Mich.
b) State of Michigan Building, Grand Rapids, Mich.
c) 201 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 800, Troy, Mich.
d) 3020 West Grand Boulevard, Suite 14-300, Detroit, Mich.
e) It depends

3. Is the following statement an accurate synopsis of the method the Court of Appeals uses in calculating time limits for filing?

(1) The first day of the pertinent time period is the day after the day of the act or event which triggers the time to begin running; (2) the last day of the pertinent time period is included, unless it is a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday, or holiday on which the court is closed pursuant to court order, in which case the time ends on the next day that the court is open. Saturdays, Sundays, etc., that fall within the time period (e.g., not on the last day) are counted the same as any other day.

a) Yes
b) No
c) Yes and No
d) Paragraph (1) Only
e) Paragraph (2) Only

(You may not use a lawyer as a lifeline for any of the above.)

Answers: 1) b; 2) e; 3) a