Missouri Court of Appeals

Format

Type

Times New Roman 13 pt, 1.5-spaced

Margins

1-inch margins

Opening brief

15,500 words

Reply brief

3,875 words

What counts

All material except cover, Rule 84.06(c) certificate, signature block and appendix

Rules

Missouri Supreme Court Rules, Rules 84.03-84.06 (Civil Procedure – Appellate) — Mo. Sup. Ct. R. 84.03(b), 84.06(a); E.D. Local Rule 360; W.D. Special Rule 41 (reply 5,115 words); Rule 84.06(b)

Parts of the brief, in order

1. Cover — Required · Mo. Sup. Ct. R. 84.06(a)
2. TABLE OF CONTENTS — Required · Mo. Sup. Ct. R. 84.04(a)(1)
3. TABLE OF AUTHORITIES — Required · Mo. Sup. Ct. R. 84.04(a)(1)
4. JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT — Required · Mo. Sup. Ct. R. 84.04(a)(2), (b)
5. STATEMENT OF FACTS — Required · Mo. Sup. Ct. R. 84.04(a)(3), (c)
6. POINTS RELIED ON — Required · Mo. Sup. Ct. R. 84.04(a)(4), (d)
7. ARGUMENT — Required · Mo. Sup. Ct. R. 84.04(a)(5), (e)
8. CONCLUSION — Required · Mo. Sup. Ct. R. 84.04(a)(6)
9. Signature block — Required · Mo. Sup. Ct. R. 55.03
10. CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE — Required · Mo. Sup. Ct. R. 84.06(c)

Argument headings: Each Point Relied On in the mandatory form: 'The trial court erred in [ruling], because [legal reasons], in that [explanation].' Argument follows the order of the Points; each point restated at the start of its argument section.

Standard of review: For each claim of error, in the argument: whether and how preserved, and the applicable standard of review (Rule 84.04(e)).

Record citations: (D6 p. 7) for system-generated legal file; add appendix cite if included (D6 p. 7; App 9); transcript (Tr. 12)

Appendix

Required. Pages are numbered like A12. (Mo. Sup. Ct. R. 84.04(h))

• table of contents
• judgment, order or decision appealed (with findings/conclusions/opinion)
• complete text of statutes, ordinances, rules claimed controlling
• complete text of jury instructions at issue
• optional: exhibits, new authorities

Pages numbered consecutively beginning A1; filed as separate document from the brief.

Certificates

• Compliance: Certificate by lawyer or self-represented person: Rule 55.03 information, how served (Rule 43.01(c) or 103.08), compliance with Rule 84.06(b) limits, and word count
• Service: Included in Rule 84.06(c) certificate

Good to know

• Rule 84.04(i): statements of fact need specific page references to the record on appeal (legal file, transcript, exhibits).
• Single spacing permitted for cover, headings, quotations over two lines, footnotes, certificates, signature block.
• Criminal appeals follow Rule 30.06, which largely tracks Rule 84.04.
• Reply limit differs: Eastern District 3,875 words; Western District 5,115 words.
• Southern District: no length rule found in its special rules list—Rule 84.06(b) default (31,000/27,900/7,750) likely applies; unverified.

Filing: Missouri eFiling System (Case.net); text-searchable PDF; no paper copies in Supreme Court; no hyperlinks (self-contained documents)