Imprisoned civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart appeared in US District Court in Manhattan Wednesday to begin the process of reviewing her 28-month sentence as mandated by the Federal Court of Appeals.

Stewart was convicted of violating government restrictions forbidding the release of any public statements by her client. The so-called Special Administrative Measures are applied to defendants designated by the government as terrorists. Opponents point out that the holding of suspects in communicado has been highly unusual since the time of the Magna Carta.

The Appeals Court denied Stewart's appeal, revoked her bail and ordered the trial court to re-examine her sentence as being too lenient.

Stewart's supporters packed two court-rooms for the appearance and gave her a standing ovation when she appeared.

The judge laid out a schedule for the resentencing process that tentatively set a date in late April for a decision.

We spoke with lawyers, journalists and others who attended the hearing.