UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT

BRIEF & APPENDIX COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST FOR PRO SE AND ATTORNEY FILERS

The purpose of this document is to provide a checklist for pro se filers and attorneys practicing before the court to assist them

in reviewing their briefs and appendices for compliance with the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, the D.C. Circuit Rules,

and the D.C. Circuit Handbook of Practice and Procedures prior to filing their briefs with the court. Elements required by the

rules are covered below with specific citation to the corresponding rule(s) for reference purposes. Nothing contained in this

checklist supplants a party’s briefing requirements or obligations under the federal and local rules. Additional inquires may

be directed to the Clerk’s Office by calling (202) 216-7290 or (202) 216-7310.

FORMAT OF BRIEFS

Page numbers may be placed in the margins, but no text may appear there.

The brief may use either a proportionally spaced or a monospaced face and must be set

in a plain, roman style, although italics and boldface may be used for emphasis. Case

names must be italicized or underlined. If a brief uses a proportionally spaced face, the

typeface must be at least 14 point and must include serifs, but sans-serif type may be

used in headings and captions. If a brief uses a monospaced face, the typeface may have

no more than 10 ½ characters per inch.

L Note: Certain typefaces can be easier to read, such as Century and Times New

Roman. The Court encourages the use of these typefaces. Briefs that use

Garamond as the typeface can be more difficult to read and the use of this

Fed. R. App. P. 32(a)(5), (6)

whichever is applicable, located in capital letters at the top;

< The case number centered;

< The name of the court;

< The caption of the case;

< The nature of the proceeding and the name of the court, agency or board below;

< The title of the brief, identifying the parties on whose behalf the brief is filed; and

< The name, the postal and email address, and the telephone number of counsel

representing the party for whom the brief is filed.

The cover of an amicus brief must also identify the parties supported and indicate whether

the brief supports affirmance or reversal.

Fed. R. App. P. 29(a)(4)

The brief must be bound in any manner that is secure, does not obscure the text, and

permits the brief to lie reasonably flat when open.

L Note: The following types of binding ensure that the brief will lie flat when open:

spiral (also known as coil), comb, and wire binding. The following types of

binding do not permit a brief to lie flat when open: velo (also known as strip)

binding, metal fasteners or posts, and staples. Accordingly, the use of such

methods is not acceptable for a brief, nor is the use of a three-ring binder. If a

brief is submitted that does not conform with these requirements, the party will

be notified and directed to file a brief that is properly bound. See D.C. Circuit

Handbook of Practice and Procedures § IX.A.6.

Fed. R. App. P. 32(a)(3)

Briefs)

Table of Contents All Briefs Fed. R. App. P. 28(a)(2), (b)

Fed. R. App. P. 28.1(c)

Fed. R. App. P. 29(a)(4)(B)

Table of Authorities

< Authorities on which the brief principally relies may be

marked with an asterisk (*) in the left-hand margin,

together with a notation at the bottom of the first page of

the table stating: "Authorities upon which we chiefly rely

are marked with asterisks."

All Briefs Fed. R. App. P. 28(a)(3), (b)

Fed. R. App. P. 28.1(c)

Fed. R. App. P. 29(a)(4)(C)

may be used for entities and statutes with widely

recognized initials, such as FERC and FOIA, parties

should avoid using acronyms that are not widely known.

See D.C. Circuit Handbook of Practice and Procedures §

IX.A.8(d); Notice Regarding Use of Acronyms (D.C. Cir.

Jan. 26, 2010).

Jurisdictional Statement Appellant’s Briefs;

Cross-Appellant’s

Briefs

Fed. R. App. P. 28(a)(4)

D.C. Cir. Rule 28(a)(4)

Fed. R. App. P. 28.1(c)

Statement of Issues Appellant’s Briefs;

Fed. R. App. P. 28(a)(5)

< Any addendum exceeding 40 pages must be bound

separately from the brief. If separately bound, a statement

must appear in the body of the brief referencing the

addendum.

< If the addendum is bound with the brief, the addendum

must be separated from the body of the brief (and from

any other addendum) by a distinctly colored separation

page.

< If such materials are contained in a brief previously

submitted by another party, they need not be repeated but,

Briefs

to File

Briefs

Statement of Authorship and Financial Contributions Amicus Curiae

Briefs

Fed. R. App. P. 29(a)(4)(E)

Summary of Argument All Briefs

(Excluding Amicus

Curiae's Briefs

Fed. R. App. P. 28(a)(7)

D.C. Cir. Rule 28(a)(6)

Fed. R. App. P. 28.1(c)

Standing

< In cases involving direct review of administrative actions,

the petitioner or appellant must set forth the basis for the

party’s standing either in the body of the brief or in an

any other addendum) by a distinctly colored separation

page.

< Any addendum exceeding 40 pages must be bound

separately from the brief.

Appellant’s Briefs;

Cross-Appellant’s

Briefs

D.C. Cir. Rule 28(a)(7)

D.C. Cir. Rule 28.1(b)

Argument

< Appellant must include a concise statement of the

applicable standard of review for each issue, which may

appear under a separate heading placed before the

discussion of the issues.

All Briefs Fed. R. App. P. 28(a)(8), (b)

Fed. R. App. P. 29(a)(4)(F)

Certificate of Compliance All Briefs Fed. R. App. P. 28(a)(10)

Fed. R. App. P. 29(a)(4)(G)

Fed. R. App. P. 32(g)

Certificate of Service (if required under the rule) All Briefs Fed. R. App. P. 25(d)

do not count toward the length limitations in briefs: the cover page; the certificate of parties, rulings under review,

and related cases; the corporate disclosure statement; the table of contents; the table of authorities; the glossary;

any addendum containing statutes, rules, or regulations, or evidence in support of a claim of standing; the

signature block; the proof of service; and any certificates of counsel. See Fed. R. App. P. 32(f); D.C. Cir. Rule

32(e)(1).

Brief of Unrepresented Person Not Proceeding

D.C. Cir. Rule 32(d)(3)

An appendix may be reproduced by any process that yields a clear black image on light

paper with a clarity that equals or exceeds the output of a laser printer. The paper must

D.C. Cir. Rule 30(a)

Fed. R. App. P. 32(a)(1), (b)

properly bound. See D.C. Circuit Handbook of Practice and Procedures §

IX.B.4.

and exhibits cited in the brief;

< The judgment, decision, or order in question;

attention.

Joint Appendix to Briefs

8 Copies D.C. Cir. Rule 30(a)