On January 12, 2010, the Supreme Court announced revisions to its rules, which will take effect in all proceedings on February 16, 2010. The Court’s press release announcing the changes can be viewed here.  The order and revisions can be reviewed here

The majority of the revisions are simply clarification of previously existing, but unstated, standard Court practice.  For example, the revision to Rule 37.3(a) clarifies the preexisting standard that the 10-day notice rule for amicus curiae briefs on the certiorari stage does not apply to amicus briefs on the merits.  Moreover, the revision explicitly stating that only members of the Supreme Court bar may file an amicus brief reflects a longstanding informal rule imposed by the Court. 

The Court did, however, make a few substantive changes. The cover of every brief must now contain an email address for the counsel of record in the signature block. In every brief containing an appendix, the brief table of contents must include an appendix index.  That index must list all items contained in the appendix.  For reply briefs on the merits, the Court reduced the word limitation from 7,500 to 6,000 words.

Cockle Law Brief Printing Company will continue to blog about any changes to the Supreme Court’s rules.

If you have any questions regarding the new rules, please leave a comment.