Washington Court of Appeals

Format

Type

Times New Roman 14 pt, double-spaced

Margins

Margins: top 1.5", right 1.5", bottom 1.5", left 2"

Opening brief

12,000 words or 50 pages

Reply brief

6,000 words or 25 pages

What counts

Excludes appendices, title sheet, TOC, TOA, certificate of compliance, certificate of service, signature blocks, pictorial images. Page limits only for typewritten/handwritten documents

Rules

Washington Rules of Appellate Procedure (RAP) — RAP 10.4(a); RAP 18.17(a) (14-pt serif equivalent to Times New Roman or sans serif equivalent to Arial; double-spaced; footnotes and block quotes may be single-spaced; no tabs/colored paper/binding); RAP 18.17(b)-(c)

Parts of the brief, in order

1. Title page — Required · RAP 10.3(a)(1)
2. TABLE OF CONTENTS — Required · RAP 10.3(a)(2)
3. TABLE OF AUTHORITIES — Required · RAP 10.3(a)(2)
4. INTRODUCTION — Optional · RAP 10.3(a)(3)
5. ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR AND ISSUES PERTAINING TO ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR — Required · RAP 10.3(a)(4)
6. STATEMENT OF THE CASE — Required · RAP 10.3(a)(5)
7. ARGUMENT — Required · RAP 10.3(a)(6)
8. CONCLUSION — Required · RAP 10.3(a)(7)
9. Signature block — Required · RAP 18.17(b)
10. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE — Required · RAP 18.5
11. APPENDIX — Optional · RAP 10.3(a)(8)

Argument headings: Argument on issues with citations to authority and references to relevant parts of the record; separate assignment of error for each challenged instruction/finding (RAP 10.3(g))

Standard of review: Not a required separate section; conventionally stated within argument

Record citations: (CP 12) clerk's papers; (RP 34) report of proceedings; (Ex. 5); (AR 7) administrative record (RAP 10.4(f))

Appendix

Optional. Pages are numbered like A-12. (RAP 10.3(a)(8); 10.4(c))

• material portions of statutes, rules, instructions, findings, exhibits (RAP 10.4(c))

Court uses Clerk's Papers and Report of Proceedings as the record

Certificates

• Compliance: Short statement above the signature line certifying the number of words, exclusive of excluded parts
• Service: Proof/certificate of service

Good to know

• Respondent may omit issues/statement of case if satisfied with appellant's; reply limited to issues in opposing brief (RAP 10.3(b)-(c))
• Citations per Reporter of Decisions style (RAP 10.4(g); GR 14)
• Criminal defendants may file statement of additional grounds (RAP 10.10, 12,000 words)

Filing: Washington Appellate Courts e-filing portal; PDF format