Federal Judiciary

Revised Supreme Court Rules

By Akin Gump Supreme Court Practice Group

Effective February 16, 2010, the Court adopted revised Rules of the Supreme Court.  A complete copy of the updated rules can be found here.   The revisions, which are summarized in this memorandum from the Court,  include:

- A reduction in the number of words allowed for a merits reply brief — from 7500 to 6000.

- Changes to Rules 26 and 34.1 clarify what is to be included on the cover of the Joint Appendix and require the counsel of record to include an e-mail address on the cover of every document filed.

- An addition to Rule 34 requires a descriptive index of the appendices and citations to the United States Code whenever available.

- Revisions to Rule 37 clarify that only an attorney admitted to practice before the Court is permitted to file an amicus curiae brief and that extensions of time for amicus curiae briefs at the merits stage will not be entertained. The revised rule also clarifies that the ten-day notice requirement for amicus curiae briefs at the certiorari stage does not apply at the merits stage.

- Other minor changes addressed in the Court’s memorandum.

Full post as published by SCOTUSBLOG on March 10, 2010 (boomark / email).