Supreme Court of New Hampshire

Format

Type

Times New Roman 13 pt, 1.5-spaced

Margins

1.5-inch margins

Opening brief

9,500 words

Reply brief

3,000 words

What counts

Excludes prefatory pages (tables), addendum and appendix

Rules

Rules of the Supreme Court of the State of New Hampshire — Sup. Ct. R. 16; Sup. Ct. R. 16(11)

Parts of the brief, in order

1. Cover — Required · Sup. Ct. R. 16
2. TABLE OF CONTENTS — Required · Sup. Ct. R. 16(3)(a)
3. TABLE OF AUTHORITIES — Required · Sup. Ct. R. 16(3)(a)
4. QUESTIONS PRESENTED — Required · Sup. Ct. R. 16(3)(b)
5. CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS, STATUTES, ORDINANCES, RULES, AND REGULATIONS INVOLVED IN THE CASE — Required · Sup. Ct. R. 16(3)(c)
6. STATEMENT OF THE CASE — Required · Sup. Ct. R. 16(3)(d)
7. STATEMENT OF THE FACTS — Required · Sup. Ct. R. 16(3)(d)
8. SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT — Required · Sup. Ct. R. 16(3)(e)
9. ARGUMENT — Required · Sup. Ct. R. 16(3)(f)
10. CONCLUSION — Required · Sup. Ct. R. 16(3)(g)
11. REQUEST FOR ORAL ARGUMENT (or waiver) with name of attorney to argue — Required · Sup. Ct. R. 16(3)(h)
12. CERTIFICATIONS (decision appended; word-limit compliance) — Required · Sup. Ct. R. 16(3)(i), 16(11)
13. Signature block — Required · Sup. Ct. R. 16
14. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE — Required · Sup. Ct. R. 16, 26
15. ADDENDUM (decision appealed) — Required · Sup. Ct. R. 16(3)(i)

Argument headings: Questions presented must cite where each issue was raised and preserved below (transcript/appendix page).

Record citations: (Add. 12) addendum; (Apx. 12) appendix; (T. 12) or (Tr. 12) transcript — define abbreviations at first use

Addendum / Appendix

Required. Pages are numbered like Add. 12. (Sup. Ct. R. 16(3)(i), 17)

• decision(s) appealed from
• other record materials (appendix)

Decision below must be appended: either in an addendum bound with the brief (max ~40 pages, sequential numbering) or in a separately paginated appendix (Rule 17). Cite as Add. / Apx.

Certificates

• Compliance: Certify brief complies with word limit of Rule 16(11) and state word count
• Service: Certify service on all parties
• Certification that the appealed decision is appended

Good to know

• Official Rule 16 page returned HTTP 403; details drawn from the court's rules index page and NHBA Guide to Appellate Advocacy (2019). Paragraph numbers other than 16(3) and 16(11) not verified.
• Cross-appeal: combined opening/answering brief of opposing party up to 14,000 words.
• Text left-aligned; 1.5 line spacing; 1.5-inch margins; size-13 font or standard typewriter characters.
• No intermediate appellate court in New Hampshire.

Filing: NH Judicial Branch electronic filing, mandatory under Supplemental Rules for Electronic Filing (cases filed after Aug. 6, 2018; Rule 1-A)