Supreme Court of Kentucky

Format

Type

Times New Roman 12 pt, double-spaced

Margins

Margins: top 1", right 1", bottom 1", left 1.5"

Opening brief

17,500 words or 40 pages

Reply brief

3,500 words or 7 pages

What counts

Same exclusions as Court of Appeals. Handwritten/typewritten: 50 pp / reply 10 pp.

Rules

Kentucky Rules of Appellate Procedure — RAP 31(A)(1); RAP 31(G)(3)

Parts of the brief, in order

1. Cover (with certificate of service) — Required · RAP 31(C)
2. INTRODUCTION — Required · RAP 32(A)(1)
3. STATEMENT CONCERNING ORAL ARGUMENT — Required · RAP 32(A)(1)
4. STATEMENT OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES — Required · RAP 32(A)(2)
5. STATEMENT OF THE CASE — Required · RAP 32(A)(3)
6. ARGUMENT — Required · RAP 32(A)(4)
7. CONCLUSION — Required · RAP 32(A)(5)
8. Signature block — Required · RAP 32(A)(6)
9. WORD COUNT CERTIFICATE — If applicable · RAP 31(G)(1), RAP 15
10. APPENDIX — Required · RAP 32(E)

Argument headings: Argument conforms to the Statement of Points and Authorities; each argument begins with a statement, with record reference, showing whether and how the issue was preserved for review.

Record citations: Specific record location: circuit record volume/page (e.g., R. 45), video record by date and time (VR), depositions by name/date/page

Appendix

Required. Pages are numbered like A12. (RAP 32(E))

• index listing documents with record locations
• judgment, opinion, or order under review
• trial court findings, conclusions, opinions
• appellate opinions (if any)
• other helpful record materials

Separate documents by extruding tabs. Appellee appendix optional.

Certificates

• Compliance: Word-count certificate per RAP 15 required when a computer-generated brief exceeds the page equivalent
• Service: Signed certificate of service on the cover, incl. service on trial judge (and Commonwealth's Attorney/AG in criminal cases)
• Certificate regarding return of the record

Good to know

• Font: black, 12 pt or larger at standard width incl. footnotes; Century Schoolbook, Times New Roman or Century recommended; no 'narrow', Comic Sans, Papyrus.
• Introduction + oral argument statement together max one page, excluded from count.
• Bound on the left side.
• RAP effective Jan. 1, 2023, as amended (text read reflects amendments effective Apr. 1, 2026).
• Supreme Court limits per RAP 31(G) (subsection number for Supreme Court not confirmed).

Filing: Kentucky Court of Justice eFiling for appellate courts; paper copies per RAP 31 when required.