Free Brief Compliance Checklist for Pro Se and Attorney Filers - California

U NITED S TATES C OURT OF APPEALS FOR THE D ISTRICT OF C OLUMBIA C IRCUIT
BRIEF COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST FOR PRO SE AND ATTORNEY FILERS
The purpose of this docum ent is to provide pro se filers and attorneys practicing before the court with a checklist to assist them in reviewing their briefs for com pliance with the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, the D.C. Circuit Rules, and the D.C. Circuit Handbook of Practice and Procedures prior to filing their briefs with the court. Elem ents required by the rules are covered below with specific citation to the corresponding rule(s) for reference purposes. Additional inquires m ay be directed to the Clerk's Office by calling (202) 216-7280 or (202) 216-7310.

FORMAT OF BRIEFS
The brief m ust be on 8 ½ by 11 inch paper. The text m ust be double-spaced, but quotations m ore than two lines long m ay be indented and single-spaced. Headings and footnotes m ay be single-spaced. Margins m ust be at least one inch on all four sides. Page num bers m ay be placed in the m argins, but no text m ay appear there The brief m ay use either a proportionally spaced or a m onospaced face and m ust be set in a plain, rom an style, although italics and boldface m ay be used for em phasis. Case nam es m ust be italicized or underlined. If a brief uses a proportionally spaced face, the typeface m ust be at least 14 point and m ust include serifs, but sans-serif type m ay be used in headings and captions. If a brief uses a m onospaced face, it m ay have no m ore than 10 ½ characters per inch. The brief m ust be bound in any m anner that is secure, does not obscure the text, and perm its the brief to lie reasonably flat when open. Fed. R. App. P. 32(a)(4)

Fed. R. App. P. 32(a)(5), (6)

Fed. R. App. P. 32(a)(5)

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Note: Spiral binding, as opposed to stapling or velo binding, ensures that briefs will lie flat when open. Accordingly, the court prefers spiral binding of briefs and strongly encourages parties to use this m ethod when preparing their briefs. See D.C. Circuit Handbook of Practice and Procedures § IX.A.6. D.C. Cir. Rule 28(a)(8); Fed. R. App. P. 32(a)(2)

The front cover of the brief m ust contain the following item s: < The date of oral argum ent or reference to subm ission without oral argum ent, whichever is applicable, located in capital letters at the top; < The case num ber centered on the top; < The nam e of the court; < The caption of the case; < The nature of proceeding and the nam e of court, agency or board below; < The title of the brief, identifying the parties on whose behalf the brief is filed; and < The nam e, address, and telephone num ber of counsel representing the party for whom the brief is filed.

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Note: In cases designated "Com plex," the cover of the brief should so indicate. See D.C. Circuit Handbook of Practice and Procedures § IX.A.6.

NUMBER OF COPIES OF BRIEFS TO BE FILED
For briefs filed electronically, the electronic version constitutes the `original'. Brief of Unrepresented Person Proceeding In Form a Pauperis Initial Brief W hen Utilizing a Deferred Appendix Final Brief W hen Utilizing a Deferred Appendix Final Brief W hen Not Utilizing a Deferred Appendix Public Brief W hen Containing Materials Under Seal Sealed Brief W hen Containing Materials Under Seal Revised Jun. 2009 D.C. Cir. Rule 31(b) D.C. Cir. Rule 31(b) D.C. Cir. Rule 31(b) D.C. Cir. Rule 31(b) D.C. Cir. Rule 47.1(d)(1) D.C. Cir. Rule 47.1(d)(1) One Original Original and 5 Copies Original and 8 Copies Original and 8 Copies Original and 14 Copies Original and 6 Copies -1-

CONTENT OF BRIEFS
The brief must contain, under the appropriate headings, each applicable element listed below in the order shown Certificate of Parties, Rulings Under Review, and Related Cases < Including any corporate disclosure inform ation pursuant to D.C. Cir. Rule 26.1 Table of Contents Table of Authorities < An asterisk (*) m ust appear in the left-hand m argin next to those authorities on which the brief principally relies, together with a notation at the bottom of the first page of the table stating: "Authorities upon which we chiefly rely are m arked with asterisks." If there are no such authorities, the notation m ust so state. < Each page of the brief on which the authority is cited m ust be identified; passim or sim ilar term s m ay not be used. Glossary of Abbreviations Jurisdictional Statem ent D.C. Cir. Rule 28(a)(1) All Briefs Except Reply Briefs

Fed. R. App. P. 28(a)(2) Fed. R. App. P. 28(a)(3); D.C. Cir. Rule 28(a)(2)

All Briefs All Briefs

D.C. Cir. Rule 28(a)(3) Fed. R. App. P. 28(a)(4); Fed. R. App. P. 28.1(c)(2); D.C. Cir. Rule 28(a)(4) Fed. R. App. P. 28(a)(5); Fed. R. App. P. 28.1(c)(2)

All Briefs Appellant's Briefs; Cross-Appellant's Briefs Appellant's Briefs; Cross-Appellant's Briefs All Briefs

Statem ent of Issues

Statues and Regulations < Must be set forth either in the body of the brief following the statem ent of the issues presented for review or in an addendum introduced by a table of contents and bound with the brief or separately < If in an addendum bound with the brief, the addendum m ust be separated from the body of the brief (and from any other addendum ) by a distinctly colored separation page. < If separately bound, a statem ent m ust appear in the body of the brief referencing the addendum . < If contained in a brief previously subm itted by another party, they need not be repeated but, if they are not repeated, a statem ent m ust appear under this heading as follows: "[Except for the following,] all applicable statutes, etc., are contained in the Brief for _____." Statem ent of the Facts

D.C. Cir. Rule 28(a)(5)

Fed. R. App. P. 28(a)(7); Fed. R. App. P. 28.1(c)(2)

Appellant's Briefs; Cross-Appellant's Briefs All Briefs

Sum m ary of Argum ent

Fed. R. App. P. 28(a)(8); D.C. Cir. Rule 28(a)(6) D.C. Cir. Rule 28(a)(7); Fed. R. App. P. 28.1(c)(2)

Standing

Appellant's Briefs; Cross-Appellant's Briefs Am icus Curiae's Briefs

Statem ent of Identity, Interest in Case, and Source of Authority to File Argum ent < Appellant m ust include a concise statem ent of the applicable standard of review for each issue.

Fed. R. App. P. 29(c)(3)

Fed. R. App. P. 28(a)(9)

All Briefs

Revised Jun. 2009

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Conclusion Stating the Relief Sought

Fed. R. App. P. 28(a)(10); Fed. R. App. P. 28.1(c)(2)

Appellant's Briefs; Cross-Appellant's Briefs All Briefs All Briefs

Signature Block Certificate of Com pliance

Fed. R. App. P. 32(d) Fed. R. App. P. 28(a)(11); Fed. R. App. P. 32(a)(7)(C) Fed. R. App. P. 25(d)(2)

Certificate of Service

All Briefs

LENG TH OF BRIEFS & COVER COLORS
Headings, footnotes, and quotations count toward the word and line limitations, however, the certificate of parties, rulings under review, and related cases, corporate disclosure statement, table of contents, table of authorities, the glossary, any addendum containing statutes, rules or regulations, or evidence in support of the claim of standing, and any certificates of counsel do not count toward the length limitations. Principle Brief of Appellant or Petitioner Principle Brief of Appellee or Respondent Principle Brief of Intervenors Principle Brief of Am icus Curiae Appointed by the Court Principle Brief of Am icus Curiae Not Appointed by the Court Reply Brief of Appellant or Petitioner Reply Brief of Intervenors in Support of Appellant or Petitioner Reply Brief of Am icus Curiae Appointed by the Court Reply Brief of Am icus Curiae Not Appointed by the Court Supplem ental Briefs Fed. R. App. P. 32(a)(2), (7) Blue 30 Pages; 1,300 Lines; or 14,000 W ords

Fed. R. App. P. 32(a)(2), (7)

Red

30 Pages; 1,300 Lines; or 14,000 W ords

Fed. R. App. P. 32(a)(2), (3) D.C. Cir. Rule 29; Fed. R. App. P. 32(a)(2), (7) Fed. R. App. P. 29(d); Fed. R. App. P. 32(a)(2) Fed. R. App. P. 32(a)(2), (7)

Green Green

19 Pages; 813 Lines; or 8,750 W ords 30 Pages; 1,300 Lines; or 14,000 W ords

Green

15 Pages; 650 Lines; or 7,000 W ords

Gray

15 Pages; 650 Lines; or 7,000 W ords

Fed. R. App. P. 32(a)(2), (3)

Gray

9 Pages; 407 Lines; or 4,375 W ords

D.C. Cir. Rule 29; Fed. R. App. P. 32(a)(2), (7) Fed. R. App. P. 29(f)

Gray

15 Pages; 650 Lines; or 7,000 W ords

Gray

Brief Not Allowed Under the Rules

Fed. R. App. P. 32(a)(2)

Tan

Determ ined Per Order of the Court

CROSS -APPEAL BRIEFS
Principle Brief of Appellant or Petitioner Principle and Response Brief of Appellee or Respondent Response and Reply Brief of Appellant or Petitioner Reply Brief of Appellee or Respondent Fed. R. App. P. 28.1(d), (e) Blue 30 Pages; 1,300 Lines; or 14,000 W ords

Fed. R. App. P. 28.1(d), (e)

Red

35 Pages; 1,500 Lines; or 16,500 W ords

Fed. R. App. P. 28.1(d), (e)

Yellow

30 Pages; 1,300 Lines; or 14,000 W ords

Fed. R. App. P. 28.1(d), (e)

Gray

15 Pages; 650 Lines; or 7,000 W ords

Revised Jun. 2009

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