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. Pursuant to the Supreme Court's September 27, 2023 Administrative Order, the following fonts are approved for papers filed in the Supreme Court:
     
    Arial Nova
    Bookman Old Style
    Century Schoolbook
    Georgia    		 Georgia Pro
    Helvetica
    Lexend
    Times New Roman
     

       Additionally, the following, previously approved, fonts may be used until December 31, 2023:

    Antique Olive
    Arial
    Arial Rounded
    Book Antiqua
    Brittanic
    Century Gothic
         		 CG Times
    Courier
    Courier New
    Footlight MT Light
    Letter Gothic
    MS LineDraw
    Universal
     
    b. Computer generated briefs should be printed double-spaced (with the exception of headings, idented quotations, and footnotes) on 8 ½ x 11 inch paper with 1 inch or greater margins. Character type size should not be less than 13 points for proportionally spaced fonts.

    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