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ile a brief in
reply to the response in the cross-appeal. That brief must comply
with Rule 28(a)(2)–(3) and (11) and must be limited to the
issues presented by the cross-appeal.
(5) No Further Briefs. Unless the court permits, no further
briefs may be filed in a case involving a cross-appeal.
(d) Cover. Except for filings by unrepresented parties, the cover
of the appellant’s principal brief must be blue; the appellee’s principal
and response brief, red; the appellant’s response and reply
brief, yellow; the appellee’s reply brief, gray; and intervenor’s or
amicus curiae’s brief, green; and any supplemental brief, tan. The
front cover of a brief must contain the information required by
Rule 32(a)(2).
(e) Length.
(1) Page Limitation. Unless it complies with Rule 28.1(e)(2)
and (3), the appellant’s principal brief must not exceed 30
pages; the appellee’s principal and response brief, 35 pages; the
appellant’s response and reply brief, 30 pages; and the appellee’s
reply brief, 15 pages.
(2) Type-Volume Limitation.
(A) The appellant’s principal brief or the appellant’s response
and reply brief is acceptable if:
(i) it contains no more than 14,000 words; or
(ii) it uses a monospaced face and contains no more
than 1,300 lines of text.
(B) The appellee’s principal and response brief is acceptable
if:
(i) it contains no more than 16,500 words; or
(ii) it uses a monospaced face and contains no more
than 1,500 lines of text.
Rule 29 FEDERAL RULES OF APPELLATE PROCEDURE 30
(C) The appellee’s reply brief is acceptable if it contains
no more than half of the type volume specified in Rule
28.1(e)(2)(A).
(3) Certificate of Compliance. A brief submitted under Rule
28.1(e)(2) must comply with Rule 32(a)(7)(C).
(f) Time to Serve and File a Brief. Briefs must be served and filed
as follows:
(1) the appellant’s principal brief, within 40 days after the
record is filed;
(2) the appellee’s principal and response brief, within 30 days
after the appellant’s principal brief is served;
(3) the appellant’s response and reply brief, within 30 days
after the appellee’s principal and response brief is served; and
(4) the appellee’s reply brief, within 14 days after the appellant’s
response and reply brief is served, but at least 3 days before
argument unless the court, for good cause, allows a later
filing.
(As added Apr. 25, 2005, eff. Dec. 1, 2005.)
Rule 29. Brief of an Amicus Curiae
(a) When Permitted. The United States or its officer or agency,
or a State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia
may file an amicus-curiae brief without the consent of the parties
or leave of court. Any other amicus curiae may file a brief only
by leave of court or if the brief states that all parties have consented
to its filing.
(b) Motion for Leave to File. The motion must be accompanied
by the proposed brief and state:
(1) the movant’s interest; and
(2) the reason why an amicus brief is desirable and why the
matters asserted are relevant to the disposition of the case.
(c) Contents and Form. An amicus brief must comply with Rule
32. In addition to the requirements of Rule 32, the cover must
identify the party or parties supported and indicate whether the
brief supports affirmance or reversal. If an amicus curiae is a corporation,
the brief must include a disclosure statement like that
required of parties by Rule 26.1. An amicus brief need not comply
with Rule 28, but must include the following:
(1) a table of contents, with page references;
(2) a table of authorities—cases (alphabetically arranged),
statutes and other authorities—with references to the pages of
the brief where they are cited;
(3) a concise statement of the identity of the amicus curiae,
its interest in the case, and the source of its authority to file;
(4) an argument, which may be preceded by a summary and
which need not include a statement of the applicable standard
of review; and
(5) a certificate of compliance, if required by Rule 32(a)(7).
(d) Length. Except by the court’s permission, an amicus brief
may be no more than one-half the maximum length authorized by
these rules for a party’s principal brief. If the court grants a party
permission to file a longer brief, that extension does not affect the
length of an amicus brief.
(e) Time for Filing. An amicus curiae must file its brief, accompanied
by a motion for filing when necessary, no later than 7 days
31 FEDERAL RULES OF APPELLATE PROCEDURE Rule 30
after the principal brief of the party being supported is filed. An
amicus curiae that does not support either party must file its
brief no later than 7 days after the appellant’s or petitioner’s principal
brief is filed. A court may grant leave for later filing, specifying
the time within which an opposing party may answer.
(f) Reply Brief. Except by the court’s permission, an amicus curiae
may not file a reply brief.
(g) Oral Argument. An amicus curiae may participate in oral argument
only with the court’s permission.
(As amended Apr. 24, 1998, eff. Dec. 1, 1998.)
Rule 30. Appendix to the Briefs
(a) Appellant’s Responsibility.
(1) Contents of the Appendix. The appellant must prepare
and file an appendix to the briefs containing:
(A) the relevant docket entries in the proceeding below;
(B) the relevant portions of the pleadings, charge, findings,
or opinion;
(C) the judgment, order, or decision in question; and
(D) other parts of the record to which the parties wish to
direct the court’s attention.
(2) Excluded Material. Memoranda of law in the district
court should not be included in the appendix unless they have
independent relevance. Parts of the record may be relied on by
the court or the parties even though not included in the appendix.
(3) Time to File; Number of Copies. Unless filing is deferred
under Rule 30(c), the appellant must file 10 copies of the appendix
with the brief and must serve one copy on counsel for
each party separately represented. An unrepresented party
proceeding in forma pauperis must file 4 legible copies with
the clerk, and one copy must be served on counsel for each
separately represented party. The court may by local rule or
by order in a particular case require the filing or service of a
different number.
(b) All Parties’ Responsibilities.
(1) Determining the Contents of the Appendix. The parties
are encouraged to agree on the contents of the appendix. In
the absence of an agreement, the appellant must, within 10
days after the record is filed, serve on the appellee a designation
of the parts of the record the appellant intends to include
in the appendix and a statement of the issues the appellant intends
to present for review. The appellee may, within 10 days
after receiving the designation, serve on the appellant a designation
of additional parts to which it wishes to direct the
court’s attention. The appellant must include the designated
parts in the appendix. The parties must not engage in unnecessary
designation of parts of the record, because the entire
record is available to the court. This paragraph applies also to
a cross-appellant and a cross-appellee.
(2) Costs of Appendix. Unless the parties agree otherwise, the
appellant must pay the cost of the appendix. If the appellant
considers parts of the record designated by the appellee to be
unnecessary, the appellant may advise the appellee, who must
Rule 30 FEDERAL RULES OF APPELLATE PROCEDURE 32
then advance the cost of including those parts. The cost of the
appendix is a taxable cost. But if any party causes unnecessary
parts of the record to be included in the appendix, the
court may impose the cost of those parts on that party. Each
circuit must, by local rule, provide for sanctions against attorneys
who unreasonably and vexatiously increase litigation
costs by including unnecessary material in the appendix.
(c) Deferred Appendix.
(1) Deferral Until After Briefs Are Filed. The court may provide
by rule for classes of cases or by order in a particular case
that preparation of the appendix may be deferred until after
the briefs have been filed and that the appendix may be filed
21 days after the appellee’s brief is served. Even though the filing
of the appendix may be deferred, Rule 30(b) applies; except
that a party must designate the parts of the record it wants
included in the appendix when it serves its brief, and need not
include a statement of the issues presented.
(2) References to the Record.
(A) If the deferred appendix is used, the parties may cite
in their briefs the pertinent pages of the record. When the
appendix is prepared, the record pages cited in the briefs
must be indicated by inserting record page numbers, in
brackets, at places in the appendix where those pages of
the record appear.
(B) A party who wants to refer directly to pages of the
appendix may serve and file copies of the brief within the
time required by Rule 31(a), containing appropriate references
to pertinent pages of the record. In that event,
within 14 days after the appendix is filed, the party must
serve and file copies of the brief, containing references to
the pages of the appendix in place of or in addition to the
references to the pertinent pages of the record. Except for
the correction of typographical errors, no other changes
may be made to the brief.
(d) Format of the Appendix. The appendix must begin with a
table of contents identifying the page at which each part begins.
The relevant docket entries must follow the table of contents.
Other parts of the record must follow chronologically. When pages
from the transcript of proceedings are placed in the appendix, the
transcript page numbers must be shown in brackets immediately
before the included pages. Omissions in the text of papers or of the
transcript must be indicated by asterisks. Immaterial formal matters
(captions, subscriptions, acknowledgments, etc.) should be
omitted.
(e) Reproduction of Exhibits. Exhibits designated for inclusion
in the appendix may be reproduced in a separate volume, or volumes,
suitably indexed. Four copies must be filed with the appendix,
and one copy must be served on counsel for each separately
represented party. If a transcript of a proceeding before an administrative
agency, board, commission, or officer was used in a district-
court action and has been designated for inclusion in the appendix,
the transcript must be placed in the appendix as an exhibit.
(f) Appeal on the Original Record Without an Appendix. The
court may, either by rule for all cases or classes of cases or by
33 FEDERAL RULES OF APPELLATE PROCEDURE Rule 32
order in a particular case, dispense with the appendix and permit
an appeal to proceed on the original record with any copies of the
record, or relevant parts, that the court may order the parties to
file.
(As amended Mar. 30, 1970, eff. July 1, 1970; Mar. 10, 1986, eff. July
1, 1986; Apr. 30, 1991, eff. Dec. 1, 1991; Apr. 29, 1994, eff. Dec. 1, 1994;
Apr. 24, 1998, eff. Dec. 1, 1998.)
Rule 31. Serving and Filing Briefs
(a) Time to Serve and File a Brief.
(1) The appellant must serve and file a brief within 40 days
after the record is filed. The appellee must serve and file a
brief within 30 days after the appellant’s brief is served. The
appellant may serve and file a reply brief within 14 days after
service of the appellee’s brief but a reply brief must be filed at
least 3 days before argument, unless the court, for good cause,
allows a later filing.
(2) A court of appeals that routinely considers cases on the
merits promptly after the briefs are filed may shorten the
time to serve and file briefs, either by local rule or by order
in a particular case.
(b) Number of Copies. Twenty-five copies of each brief must be
filed with the clerk and 2 copies must be served on each unrepresented
party and on counsel for each separately represented
party. An unrepresented party proceeding in forma pauperis must
file 4 legible copies with the clerk, and one copy must be served
on each unrepresented party and on counsel for each separately
represented party. The court may by local rule or by order in a
particular case require the filing or service of a different number.
(c) Consequence of Failure to File. If an appellant fails to file a
brief within the time provided by this rule, or within an extended
time, an appellee may move to dismiss the appeal. An appellee
who fails to file a brief will not be heard at oral argument unless
the court grants permission.
(As amended Mar. 30, 1970, eff. July 1, 1970; Mar. 10, 1986, eff. July
1, 1986; Apr. 29, 1994, eff. Dec. 1, 1994; Apr. 24, 1998, eff. Dec. 1, 1998;
Apr. 29, 2002, eff. Dec. 1, 2002.)
Rule 32. Form of Briefs, Appendices, and Other Papers
(a) Form of a Brief.
(1) Reproduction.
(A) A brief may be reproduced by any process that yields
a clear black image on light paper. The paper must be
opaque and unglazed. Only one side of the paper may be
used.
(B) Text must be reproduced with a clarity that equals
or exceeds the output of a laser printer.
(C) Photographs, illustrations, and tables may be reproduced
by any method that results in a good copy of the
original; a glossy finish is acceptable if the original is
glossy.
(2) Cover. Except for filings by unrepresented parties, the
cover of the appellant’s brief must be blue; the appellee’s, red;
an intervenor’s or amicus curiae’s, green; any reply brief, gray
Rule 32 FEDERAL RULES OF APPELLATE PROCEDURE 34
and any supplemental brief, tan. The front cover of a brief
must contain:
(A) the number of the case centered at the top;
(B) the name of the court;
(C) the title of the case (see Rule 12(a));
(D) the nature of the proceeding (e.g., Appeal, Petition
for Review) and the name of the court, agency, or board
below;
(E) the title of the brief, identifying the party or parties
for whom the brief is filed; and
(F) the name, office address, and telephone number of
counsel representing the party for whom the brief is filed.
(3) Binding. The brief must be bound in any manner that is
secure, does not obscure the text, and permits the brief to lie
reasonably flat when open.
(4) Paper Size, Line Spacing, and Margins. The brief must be
on 81/2 by 11 inch paper. The text must be double-spaced, but
quotations more than two lines long may be indented and single-
spaced. Headings and footnotes may be single-spaced. Margins
must be at least one inch on all four sides. Page numbers
may be placed in the margins, but no text may appear there.
(5) Typeface. Either a proportionally spaced or a monospaced
face may be used.
(A) A proportionally spaced face must include serifs, but
sans-serif type may be used in headings and captions. A
proportionally spaced face must be 14-point or larger.
(B) A monospaced face may not contain more than 101/2
characters per inch.
(6) Type Styles. A brief must be set in a plain, roman style,
although italics or boldface may be used for emphasis. Case
names must be italicized or underlined.
(7) Length.
(A) Page limitation. A principal brief may not exceed 30
pages, or a reply brief 15 pages, unless it complies with
Rule 32(a)(7)(B) and (C).
(B) Type-volume limitation.
(i) A principal brief is acceptable if:
• it contains no more than 14,000 words; or
• it uses a monospaced face and contains no more
than 1,300 lines of text.
(ii) A reply brief is acceptable if it contains no more
than half of the type volume specified in Rule
32(a)(7)(B)(i).
(iii) Headings, footnotes, and quotations count toward
the word and line limitations. The corporate disclosure
statement, table of contents, table of citations,
statement with respect to oral argument, any addendum
containing statutes, rules or regulations, and any
certificates of counsel do not count toward the limitation.
(C) Certificate of compliance.
(i) A brief submitted under Rules 28.1(e)(2) or
32(a)(7)(B) must include a certificate by the attorney,
or an unrepresented party, that the brief complies with
the type-volume limitation. The person preparing the
35 FEDERAL RULES OF APPELLATE PROCEDURE Rule 33
certificate may rely on the word or line count of the
word-processing system used to prepare the brief. The
certificate must state either:
• the number of words in the brief; or
• the number of lines of monospaced type in the
brief.
(ii) Form 6 in the Appendix of Forms is a suggested
form of a certificate of compliance. Use of Form 6 must
be regarded as sufficient to meet the requirements of
Rules 28.1(e)(3) and 32(a)(7)(C)(i).
(b) Form of an Appendix. An appendix must comply with Rule
32(a)(1), (2), (3), and (4), with the following exceptions:
(1) The cover of a separately bound appendix must be white.
(2) An appendix may include a legible photocopy of any document
found in the record or of a printed judicial or agency
decision.
(3) When necessary to facilitate inclusion of odd-sized documents
such as technical drawings, an appendix may be a size
other than 81/2 by 11 inches, and need not lie reasonably flat
when opened.
(c) Form of Other Papers.
(1) Motion. The form of a motion is governed by Rule 27(d).
(2) Other Papers. Any other paper, including a petition for
panel rehearing and a petiti
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