Supreme Court of Texas

Format

Type

Times New Roman 14 pt, double-spaced

Margins

1-inch margins

Opening brief

15,000 words or 50 pages

Reply brief

7,500 words or 25 pages

What counts

Excludes caption, identity of parties and counsel, statement regarding oral argument, TOC, index of authorities, statement of the case, issues presented, statement of jurisdiction, statement of procedural history, signature, proof of service, certification, certificate of compliance, appendix. Petition for review and response: 6,500 words / 20 pages inclusive of introduction (9.4(i)(2)(D)); reply to response to petition 3,250 / 10 pages (9.4(i)(2)(F))

Rules

Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure (TRAP) — TRAP 9.4(b)-(e) (8.5x11; 1-in. margins; double-spaced except footnotes, block quotes, short lists, issues; conventional typeface >=14-pt, footnotes >=12-pt); TRAP 9.4(i)(2)(B)-(D),(F)

Parts of the brief, in order

1. Cover — Required · TRAP 9.4(g)
2. IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL — Required · TRAP 55.2(a)
3. TABLE OF CONTENTS — Required · TRAP 55.2(b)
4. INDEX OF AUTHORITIES — Required · TRAP 55.2(c)
5. STATEMENT OF THE CASE — Required · TRAP 55.2(d)
6. ISSUES PRESENTED — Required · TRAP 55.2(e)
7. STATEMENT OF FACTS — Required · TRAP 55.2(f)
8. SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT — Required · TRAP 55.2(g)
9. ARGUMENT — Required · TRAP 55.2(h)
10. PRAYER — Required · TRAP 55.2(i)
11. Signature block — Required · TRAP 9.1
12. CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE — Required · TRAP 9.4(i)(3)
13. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE — Required · TRAP 9.5(e)
14. APPENDIX — If applicable · TRAP 55.2

Argument headings: Argument organized by issue with citations to authorities and record

Standard of review: Within argument (not a required separate section)

Record citations: (CR 45); (2 RR 34) by convention

Appendix

Required. Pages are numbered like App. 12. (TRAP 53.2(k))

• trial court judgment/order
• court of appeals opinion and judgment
• text of key statutes/rules

Petition for review (53.2) must include appendix; merits-brief appendix optional

Certificates

• Compliance: Certificate by counsel or unrepresented party stating the number of words in the document
• Service: Signed by person who served; states date and manner of service, name and address of each person served, and party represented if served person is counsel

Good to know

• Petition for review (TRAP 53.2) contents begin with an Introduction, then identity of parties, TOC, index, statement of case, statement of jurisdiction, issues, facts, summary, argument, prayer, appendix (2026 TRAP)
• Sections above are for brief on the merits (TRAP 55.2)

Filing: eFileTexas; text-searchable PDF