Massachusetts appeal brief requirements

Format, length, required sections and appendix rules — and a brief formatted to them for $299.

In Massachusetts, most appeals are decided by the Massachusetts Appeals Court, and the Supreme Judicial Court is the court of last resort. Each court has its own rules for how a brief must look and what it must contain.

At a glance

Court	Type	Margins	Opening brief	Reply	Appendix
Massachusetts Appeals Court	Times New Roman 14 pt, double-spaced	1-inch margins	11,000 words or 50 pages	4,500 words or 20 pages	Record Appendix · R.A. 12
Supreme Judicial Court	Times New Roman 14 pt, double-spaced	1-inch margins	11,000 words or 50 pages	4,500 words or 20 pages	Record Appendix · R.A. 12

Rules profiles reviewed September 2026. Court rules change — confirm the current rules with the clerk.

Required parts of the brief, court by court

Massachusetts Appeals Court

Intermediate appellate court — hears appeals from trial Court departments (Superior, District, Probate & Family, Housing, Juvenile, Land) and some agencies

CORPORATE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT · TABLE OF CONTENTS · TABLE OF AUTHORITIES · STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES · STATEMENT OF THE CASE · STATEMENT OF FACTS · SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT · ARGUMENT · REQUEST FOR ATTORNEY'S FEES AND COSTS · CONCLUSION · Signature block · ADDENDUM · CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE · CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

Full rules Format my brief for this court

Supreme Judicial Court

Court of last resort — hears appeals from appeals Court (further appellate review), direct appellate review, first-degree murder appeals, single-justice matters

Full rules Format my brief for this court

Questions

What are the brief format requirements in the Massachusetts Appeals Court?

Times New Roman 14 pt, double-spaced; 1-inch margins; opening brief limit 11,000 words or 50 pages.

Does the Massachusetts Appeals Court require an appendix?

Record Appendix: required.

How long can a brief be in the Supreme Judicial Court?

Opening brief: 11,000 words or 50 pages; reply brief: 4,500 words or 20 pages.

Can AppealDraft format my Massachusetts appeal brief?

Yes. Upload your draft and record documents, choose the court, and pay once ($299). You get the brief and appendix in Word and PDF, formatted to that court’s rules.

Have a draft for a Massachusetts appeal?

Upload it with your record documents. We put it in the court’s required form and build the appendix — Word and PDF, $299.

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