Court of Appeals of Ohio, [ordinal] Appellate District

Format

Type

Times New Roman 14 pt, double-spaced

Margins

1-inch margins

Opening brief

No fixed limit found

Reply brief

No fixed limit found

What counts

Set by local rule. Examples: 1st Dist. regular calendar 40 pp./9,000 words, reply 20 pp./4,500 words (accelerated 20 pp./4,500; reply 10 pp./2,200); 8th Dist. 9,000 words, reply 3,000 words (12-pt, 30 pp. presumed compliant). Excludes cover, TOC, TOA, certificates, appendix.

Rules

Ohio Rules of Appellate Procedure (App.R.) + each district's Local Appellate Rules — App.R. 19(A) + local rules (e.g. 1st Dist. Loc.R. 19: 14 pt Times New Roman/Georgia, 1 in. margins; 8th Dist. Loc.App.R. 19: Georgia preferred, 1 in. margins); Local App.R. 16/19

Parts of the brief, in order

1. Cover — Required · App.R. 19(B)
2. TABLE OF CONTENTS — Required · App.R. 16(A)(1)
3. TABLE OF AUTHORITIES — Required · App.R. 16(A)(2)
4. ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR — Required · App.R. 16(A)(3)
5. ISSUES PRESENTED FOR REVIEW — Required · App.R. 16(A)(4)
6. STATEMENT OF THE CASE — Required · App.R. 16(A)(5)
7. STATEMENT OF FACTS — Required · App.R. 16(A)(6)
8. SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT — Optional · App.R. 16(A)(7)
9. ARGUMENT — Required · App.R. 16(A)(7)
10. CONCLUSION — Required · App.R. 16(A)(8)
11. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE — Required · App.R. 13
12. APPENDIX — If applicable · Local rules

Argument headings: Argument organized by numbered 'Assignment of Error No. 1' (with record reference where error is reflected) and supporting issues; each assignment argued separately (App.R. 16(A)(3),(7); App.R. 12(A)(2)).

Record citations: Varies by district, e.g. 1st Dist.: (T.p. 12) for transcript, (T.d. 5 at 3) for docket entries (App.R. 16(D) permits abbreviations)

Appendix

Required when applicable. Pages are numbered like A12. (Local rules)

• judgment entry appealed
• trial court opinion/decision

Many districts require attaching the judgment entry appealed; varies by district.

Certificates

• Compliance: Local rules: word-count certificate when exceeding page presumption (e.g. 8th Dist. Loc.App.R. 16(A)(7))
• Service: Certificate of service

Good to know

• Statewide App.R. 19(A) text on font size/margins/length could not be verified directly; rely on the district's local rules.
• Accelerated calendar (App.R. 11.1) uses shorter briefs in many districts.
• Criminal appeals: same App.R. 16 structure.

Filing: County clerk e-filing systems vary by district; searchable PDF commonly required