Filing Briefs with the Supreme Court

  • e-Filing of Briefs
    All briefs are required to be filed electronically in all cases, even cases from non-MDEC jurisdictions using the MDEC system. Eight papers copies of the brief must also be filed in the Clerk's Office. Rule 20-404 and Rule 20-406.
     
  • Covers of briefs:
    Please note that both the front cover AND the back cover must be the color indicated below. NO plastic covers, please. Rule 8-503(c)
    a. Appellant's brief - white
    b. Appellee's brief - blue
    c. Reply brief - tan
    d. Amicus curiae brief - gray
    e. Cross-appellant's reply brief - orange
     
  • Numbering of Pages; Binding
    The pages of a brief should be consecutively numbered. The brief shall be securely bound along the left margin. Rule 8-503(a)
     
  • Length of Briefs
    Rule 8-503(d)
    a. Principal brief of an appellant or appellee shall not exceed 13,000 words. Rule 8-503(d)(1). This limitation does not apply to the table of contents or citations required by Rule 8-504(a)(1).
    b. Reply brief shall not exceed 6,500 words. Rule 8-503(d)(3)
    c. Amicus brief shall not exceed 6,500 words. Rule 8-503(d)(4)(B)
    d. Cross-appellant reply brief shall not exceed 6,500 words. Rule 8-503(3)
    e. Reply brief to amicus shall not exceed 3,900 words. Rule 8-511(g)
     
  • Form of Court Papers
    Rule 8-112
    a. The following fonts are approved by the Supreme Court:
     
    Antique Olive
    Arial
    Arial Rounded
    Book Antiqua
    Bookman Old Style
    Britannic
    Century Gothic
    Century Schoolbook    		 CG Times
    Courier
    Courier New
    Footlight MT Light
    Letter Gothic
    MS LineDraw
    Times New Roman
    Universal
    b. Type size shall not be smaller than 11 point and papers shall be double-spaced. Margins shall not be less than one inch.

    c. The form for the required Certification of Word Count and Compliance with Rule 8-112 is available here [PDF][DOC]. See Rule 8-504(a)(9)(A)
     

For more information or clarification, refer to Chapter 500 of Title 8 of the Maryland Rules. Title 8