Kansas Courts

District Court Rules Supreme/Appellate Court Rules Judicial Discipline Attorney Discipline Case Cover Sheets Child Support Guidelines Small Claims Information Open Records Procedures Code of Judicial Conduct Rules of Professional Conduct

Rules Adopted by the Supreme Court

Rules Relating to Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Appellate Practice

Rule 6.07
Briefs

Format for Briefs

(a) TYPE, MARGINS, FOOTNOTES, REPRODUCTION. All briefs shall be typographically set, typewritten, or printed by a computer or word processor letter quality printer so that the text is a clear black image on white bond paper measuring 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches. Text shall be printed in a conventional style typeface no smaller than 12 point with no more than 12 characters per inch. If typewritten, the type shall be no smaller than pica (10 characters per inch). Text, excluding pagination, shall not exceed 6 inches by 9 inches. The left margin shall be no less than 1 1/2 inches and the top, bottom and right margins shall be no less than 1 inch. Footnotes should be avoided, but if absolutely necessary every footnote shall commence on the same page as the text to which it relates. All text shall be double-spaced except block quotations which may be single-spaced. Any method of reproduction of the original which results in uniform, permanent, clearcut, black text on opaque, unglazed, white paper of good grade may be used.
(b) COVER. The cover of the brief of the appellant shall be yellow; that of the appellee, appellee/cross-appellant, or appellee/cross-appellee, blue; that of a cross-appellee, yellow; that of an intervenor or amicus curiae, green; and that of any reply brief, grey. The outside of the front cover shall conspicuously display each of the following:
First: The abbreviation for number, "No.," followed by the appellate court docket number.
Second: The words "IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF KANSAS," or "IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF KANSAS" dependent on the court in which the matter is then pending.
Third: The caption of the case as it appeared in the district court except that a party shall not only be identified as a plaintiff or defendant but also as an appellant or appellee.
Fourth: The title of the document, e.g., "Brief of Appellant" or "Brief of Appellee," etc.
Fifth: The words "Appeal from the District Court of __________________ County, Honorable ____________________, Judge, District Court Case No._____________ "
Sixth: The name and address of one lawyer for the party on whose behalf the brief is submitted. If there are several parties separately represented and joining in the brief, a lawyer for each shall be shown. A lawyer may be shown as being of a named firm. Additional lawyers joining in the brief are not to be shown on the cover but may be added at the conclusion of the brief. The name of each lawyer shall be followed by that lawyer's Kansas attorney registration number.
Seventh: When additional time for oral argument is requested in the Supreme Court pursuant to Rule 7.01(e) or in the Court of Appeals pursuant to Rule 7.02(e), the words "oral argument:" shall be printed on the lower right portion of the front of the brief cover, followed by the desired amount of time. (c) BINDING, LENGTH OF BRIEFS. If a brief is in excess of fifteen (15) pages, not less than ten (10) of the required sixteen (16) copies shall be assembled with full length spiral binders on the left side. The remaining copies may be fastened together by conventional methods. Except as the court may specially authorize, the length of briefs (exclusive of cover, table of contents, appendix, and certificate of service) shall not exceed the following:
Brief of an Appellant--50 pages
Brief of an Appellee--50 pages
Brief of an Appellee and Cross-Appellant--60 pages
Brief of an Appellee and Cross-Appellee–60 pages
Brief of a Cross-Appellee--25 pages
Reply Brief--15 pages
Brief of an Amicus Curiae--15 pages
Any motion to exceed page limitations must be submitted prior to submission of the brief and shall include a specific total page request. Such motions may be ruled upon without waiting for a response from any other party.
(d) ABBREVIATED BRIEFS. Upon order of the appellate court hearing the matter, the content and format of briefs submitted may be abbreviated.
(e) CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE. The certificate of service shall be included as the last page of any brief.
(f) Any brief which is not in substantial conformity with the provisions of this rule will not be accepted for filing.
(g) Permissive filing on interactive compact disk, read-only memory (CD-ROM)
(1) The submission of briefs by parties and amici curiae on a single interactive compact disk, read-only memory (CD-ROM) (e-brief), in addition to the requisite number of printed briefs filed and served in accordance with this rule, is allowed and encouraged.
(2) An e-brief must comply with the current technical specifications available from the Appellate Clerk's Office or posted at www.kscourts.org.
(3) An e-brief must be identical in content and format (including page numbering) to the printed version, except that each may also provide electronic links (hyperlinks) to the complete text of any authorities cited therein and to any document or other material constituting the record on appeal.
(4) An e-brief must be accompanied by a statement that verifies the absence of computer viruses and describes the software used to ensure that the e-brief is virus-free.
(5) No fewer than 5 disks must be filed, with proof of service of at least one disk on each other party to the appeal.
(6) An e-brief, if filed, must accompany printed copies of the brief.


[History: Am. effective September 1, 1989; Am. effective February 8, 1994; Am.(a) effective July 1, 1997; Am. (g) effective May 12, 2004; Am. effective September 6, 2005.]