Format, length, required sections and appendix rules — and a brief formatted to them for $499.
Every U.S. Court of Appeals applies the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure — FRAP 28 (contents), 30 (appendix) and 32 (form) — plus its own local rules. The differences matter: word limits, font sizes, what the appendix is called and what goes in it, and extra certificates.
| Court | Type | Margins | Opening brief | Reply | Appendix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit | Times New Roman 14 pt, double-spaced | 1-inch margins | 13,000 words or 30 pages | 6,500 words or 15 pages | Appendix (plus mandatory Addendum bound with brief) · Add. 12 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit | Times New Roman 14 pt, double-spaced | 1-inch margins | 14,000 words or 30 pages | 7,000 words or 15 pages | Joint Appendix (and Special Appendix) · A-12 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit | Times New Roman 14 pt, double-spaced | 1-inch margins | 13,000 words or 30 pages | 6,500 words or 15 pages | Joint Appendix · JA12 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit | Times New Roman 14 pt, double-spaced | 1-inch margins | 13,000 words or 30 pages | 6,500 words or 15 pages | Joint Appendix · JA12 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit | Times New Roman 14 pt, double-spaced | 1-inch margins | 13,000 words or 30 pages | 6,500 words or 15 pages | Record Excerpts · RE 12 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit | Times New Roman 14 pt, double-spaced | 1-inch margins | 13,000 words or 30 pages | 6,500 words or 15 pages | Addendum (designation of relevant documents) · Add. 12 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit | Times New Roman 12 pt, double-spaced | 1-inch margins | 14,000 words or 30 pages | 7,000 words or 15 pages | Short Appendix · SA12 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit | Times New Roman 14 pt, double-spaced | 1-inch margins | 13,000 words or 30 pages | 6,500 words or 15 pages | Appendix (joint or separate) + Addendum · Add. 12 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | Times New Roman 14 pt, double-spaced | 1-inch margins | 14,000 words | 7,000 words | Excerpts of Record · 1-ER-12 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit | Times New Roman 13 pt, double-spaced | 1-inch margins | 13,000 words or 30 pages | 6,500 words or 15 pages | Appendix (Appellant's Appendix) · App. 12 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit | Times New Roman 14 pt, double-spaced | 1-inch margins | 13,000 words or 30 pages | 6,500 words or 15 pages | Appendix · App. 12 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit | Times New Roman 14 pt, double-spaced | 1-inch margins | 13,000 words or 30 pages | 6,500 words or 15 pages | Joint Appendix · JA12 |
| United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit | Times New Roman 14 pt, double-spaced | 1-inch margins | 14,000 words | 7,000 words | Appendix (joint, filed after briefs) · Appx12 |
Rules profiles reviewed September 2026. Court rules change — confirm the current rules with the clerk.
U.S. Court of Appeals — hears appeals from u.S. District Courts for D. Me., D. Mass., D.N.H., D.P.R., D.R.I.; federal agencies
CORPORATE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT · TABLE OF CONTENTS · TABLE OF AUTHORITIES · STATEMENT REGARDING ORAL ARGUMENT · JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT · STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES · STATEMENT OF THE CASE · SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT · ARGUMENT · CONCLUSION · Signature block · CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE · CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE · ADDENDUM
U.S. Court of Appeals — hears appeals from u.S. District Courts in Connecticut, New York (N.D., S.D., E.D., W.D.), Vermont; federal agencies (incl. BIA petitions)
CORPORATE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT · TABLE OF CONTENTS · TABLE OF AUTHORITIES · JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT · STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES · STATEMENT OF THE CASE · STATEMENT OF FACTS · SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT · ARGUMENT · CONCLUSION · Signature block · CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE · CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE · SPECIAL APPENDIX / ADDENDUM
U.S. Court of Appeals — hears appeals from u.S. District Courts for Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania (E.D., M.D., W.D.), Virgin Islands; Tax Court; federal agencies
CORPORATE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT · TABLE OF CONTENTS · TABLE OF AUTHORITIES · STATEMENT OF SUBJECT MATTER AND APPELLATE JURISDICTION · STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES · STATEMENT OF RELATED CASES AND PROCEEDINGS · STATEMENT OF THE CASE · SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT · ARGUMENT · CONCLUSION · Signature block · COMBINED CERTIFICATIONS (bar membership, word count, service, identical text, virus check) · JOINT APPENDIX VOLUME I (bound with brief)
U.S. Court of Appeals — hears appeals from u.S. District Courts in Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia; federal agencies
DISCLOSURE STATEMENT · TABLE OF CONTENTS · TABLE OF AUTHORITIES · JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT · STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES · STATEMENT OF THE CASE · SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT · ARGUMENT · CONCLUSION · REQUEST FOR ORAL ARGUMENT · Signature block · CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE · CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE · ADDENDUM
U.S. Court of Appeals — hears appeals from u.S. District Courts in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas; Tax Court; federal agencies
CERTIFICATE OF INTERESTED PERSONS · STATEMENT REGARDING ORAL ARGUMENT · TABLE OF CONTENTS · TABLE OF AUTHORITIES · STATEMENT OF JURISDICTION · STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES · STATEMENT OF THE CASE · SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT · ARGUMENT · CONCLUSION · Signature block · CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE · CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
U.S. Court of Appeals — hears appeals from u.S. District Courts in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee; Tax Court; federal agencies
CORPORATE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT · TABLE OF CONTENTS · TABLE OF AUTHORITIES · STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF ORAL ARGUMENT · JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT · STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES · STATEMENT OF THE CASE · SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT · ARGUMENT · CONCLUSION · Signature block · CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE · CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE · ADDENDUM — DESIGNATION OF RELEVANT DISTRICT COURT DOCUMENTS
U.S. Court of Appeals — hears appeals from u.S. District Courts in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin; Tax Court; federal agencies
DISCLOSURE STATEMENT · TABLE OF CONTENTS · TABLE OF AUTHORITIES · JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT · STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES · STATEMENT OF THE CASE · SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT · ARGUMENT · CONCLUSION · Signature block · CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE · CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE · CIRCUIT RULE 30(d) STATEMENT · REQUIRED SHORT APPENDIX
U.S. Court of Appeals — hears appeals from u.S. District Courts in Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota; Tax Court; federal agencies
SUMMARY OF THE CASE AND REQUEST FOR ORAL ARGUMENT · CORPORATE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT · TABLE OF CONTENTS · TABLE OF AUTHORITIES · JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT · STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES · STATEMENT OF THE CASE · SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT · ARGUMENT · CONCLUSION · Signature block · CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE (incl. virus-scan statement) · CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE · ADDENDUM
U.S. Court of Appeals — hears appeals from u.S. District Courts in Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Guam, N. Mariana Islands; BAP; Tax Court; agencies (incl. BIA)
CORPORATE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT · TABLE OF CONTENTS · TABLE OF AUTHORITIES · JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT · STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES · STATEMENT OF THE CASE · SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT · ARGUMENT · CONCLUSION · Signature block · STATEMENT OF RELATED CASES · CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE (Form 8) · CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE · ADDENDUM (constitutional provisions, statutes, rules)
U.S. Court of Appeals — hears appeals from u.S. District Courts in Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, Wyoming; BAP; Tax Court; agencies
CORPORATE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT · TABLE OF CONTENTS (list glossary and attachments) · TABLE OF AUTHORITIES · STATEMENT OF PRIOR OR RELATED APPEALS · GLOSSARY · JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT · STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES · STATEMENT OF THE CASE · SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT · ARGUMENT · CONCLUSION · STATEMENT REGARDING ORAL ARGUMENT · Signature block · CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE · CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE · ATTACHMENTS (orders under review, final judgment)
U.S. Court of Appeals — hears appeals from u.S. District Courts in Alabama, Florida, Georgia; Tax Court; federal agencies
CERTIFICATE OF INTERESTED PERSONS AND CORPORATE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT · STATEMENT REGARDING ORAL ARGUMENT · TABLE OF CONTENTS · TABLE OF CITATIONS (asterisk authorities chiefly relied on) · STATEMENT REGARDING ADOPTION OF BRIEFS OF OTHER PARTIES · STATEMENT OF SUBJECT-MATTER AND APPELLATE JURISDICTION · STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES · STATEMENT OF THE CASE (course of proceedings, facts, standard of review) · SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT · ARGUMENT AND CITATIONS OF AUTHORITY · CONCLUSION · CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE · CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
U.S. Court of Appeals — hears appeals from u.S. District Court for the District of Columbia; federal agencies (direct review)
CERTIFICATE AS TO PARTIES, RULINGS, AND RELATED CASES · CORPORATE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT · TABLE OF CONTENTS · TABLE OF AUTHORITIES (asterisk authorities chiefly relied on) · GLOSSARY · JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT · STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES · STATUTES AND REGULATIONS · STATEMENT OF THE CASE · SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT · STANDING · ARGUMENT · CONCLUSION · Signature block · CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE · CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE · ADDENDUM (statutes and regulations)
U.S. Court of Appeals — hears appeals from district courts (patent and certain Little Tucker Act cases), Court of Federal Claims, CIT, CAVC, PTAB/USPTO, MSPB, ITC, Boards of Contract Appeals
CERTIFICATE OF INTEREST · TABLE OF CONTENTS · TABLE OF AUTHORITIES · STATEMENT OF RELATED CASES · JURISDICTIONAL STATEMENT · STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES · STATEMENT OF THE CASE · SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT · ARGUMENT · CONCLUSION AND STATEMENT OF RELIEF SOUGHT · Signature block · ADDENDUM · CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE · CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE (Form 19)
Times New Roman 14 pt, double-spaced; 1-inch margins; opening brief limit 13,000 words or 30 pages.
Appendix (plus mandatory Addendum bound with brief): required.
Yes. Upload your draft and record documents, choose the court, and pay once ($499). You get the brief and appendix in Word and PDF, formatted to that court’s rules.
Upload it with your record documents. We put it in the court’s required form and build the appendix — Word and PDF, $499.
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