Appellate Briefs – Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s

• Follow court rules meticulously – Adhere to all procedural and formatting requirements to avoid having your brief dismissed.
• Start strong – Grab the judges’ attention with the Questions Presented and a Summary of the Argument.
• Connect facts to issues – Seamlessly integrate statements of facts with legal arguments.
• Focus on key issues – Build the strongest arguments around 2-3 winning issues rather than diffuse arguments.
• Use headings and subheadings – Organize arguments clearly under separate headings and subheadings.
• Use strong persuasive writing – Write assertively and confidently to convince judges.
• Use a standard of review judiciously – Tailor arguments to meet the required standard of review.
• Use cases effectively – Distinguish unfavourable cases and use analogies to favourable precedents.
• Proofread meticulously – Refine drafts and edit strictly before filing. Remove typos, inconsistencies and grammatical errors.

Don’ts

• Don’t wait until the last minute – Rushed briefs often have clarity, research and proofreading issues.
• Don’t use excessive jargon or legalese – Avoid obscure Latin phrases and archaic terminology.
• Don’t make personal attacks – Critique reasoning but refrain from ad hominem attacks on lower courts or opponents.
• Don’t use weak arguments – Omit weaker arguments that distract from winning issues.
• Don’t present new evidence – Appellate briefs are limited to the trial court record.
• Don’t make factual misstatements – Misstating facts hurts credibility. Judges may disregard arguments.
• Don’t have typos – Typographical errors signal a lack of care and poor proofreading.

Following these best practices can help craft persuasive, polished appellate briefs tailored to each case.