Supreme Court Seal
Supreme Court Seal
South Carolina
Judicial Branch

RULE 267
FORM OF PAPERS

(a) Captions. All documents filed in the appellate court shall be headed by a caption. Except as provided below for appeals from administrative tribunals, the caption shall contain the name of the appellate court where the document is to be filed (i.e., Supreme Court or Court of Appeals); if the matter involves review of a lower court decision, the name of the county and judge from which the appeal is taken including the title of the judge (e.g., Circuit Court Judge, Family Court Judge, Master-in-Equity, Probate Judge, Special Referee, Special Circuit Court Judge); the title of the case (the party commencing the action in the lower court shall always appear first in the title regardless of whom is appellant or petitioner);  the title of the document (e.g., RECORD ON APPEAL;  APPENDIX;  BRIEF OF APPELLANT;  PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI;  MOTION TO DISMISS);  and the name, address and phone number of the counsel submitting the document, or in the case of a Record on Appeal or Appendix, the names, addresses and phone numbers of all counsel in the case. The caption should be substantially in the form shown by this example:

THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
In the Supreme Court

APPEAL FROM RICHLAND COUNTY
Howard S. Barnes, Circuit Court Judge

 

Paul L. Doe, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Appellant (or Respondent),

v.

Mary M. Roe, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Respondent (or Appellant).

 

RECORD ON APPEAL

 

John T. Smith, Esquire
P.O. Box 123
Columbia, SC 29000
(803) 000-0000
Attorney for Appellant

Wanda D. Jones, Esquire
P.O. Box 456
Columbia, SC 29000
(803) 000-0000
Attorney for Respondent

In appeals from administrative tribunals, the caption shall contain the name of the appellate court where the document is to be filed (i.e. Supreme Court or Court of Appeals); the name of the tribunal from which the appeal is taken (e.g., Administrative Law Court, Public Service Commission, etc.); the name of the administrative law judge (if applicable); the title of the case (the title shall remain the same as the title before the tribunal regardless of whom is the appellant); the title of the document (e.g., RECORD ON APPEAL; BRIEF OF APPELLANT; MOTION TO DISMISS); and the name, address and phone number of the counsel submitting the document, or in the case of a Record on Appeal, the names, addresses and phone numbers of all counsel in the case. The caption should be substantially in the form shown by this example:

 

THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
In the Court of Appeals
[In the Supreme Court]

 

                  

APPEAL FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE LAW COURT [OR NAME OF AGENCY]

George E. Brown, Administrative Law Judge
___________________

Case No. 05-ALJ-00-0000-CC
___________________

South Carolina Department
of Revenue,		 Respondent,
v.
Jane C. Roe, Appellant.

______________

BRIEF OF APPELLANT
______________

 

John E. Smith, Esquire
P.O. Box 123
Greenville, SC 29000
(864) 000-0000
Attorney for Appellant

Wanda D. Jones, Esquire
P.O. Box 456
Columbia, SC 29000
(803) 000-0000
Attorney for Respondent

 

On motions or petitions, the name, address and phone number of counsel submitting the document shall be placed at the end of the document with his signature.

(b) Signatures. A document filed with the appellate court shall be signed by the lawyer or the self-represented litigant filing the document. In addition to a traditional hand-written signature, a lawyer or self-represented litigant may sign a document using "s/ [typed name of person]," a signature stamp, or a scanned or other electronic version of the person's signature. Regardless of form, the signature shall act as a certificate that the person has read the document; that to the best of the person's knowledge, information, and belief there is good ground to support it; and that the document is not interposed for delay.

(c) Paper and Type Size. All papers or documents filed with the appellate court shall be typewritten or machine duplicated. Type size shall be standard 12-point or larger and double spaced on white bond paper of not less than twenty pound weight, 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches. With the exception of exhibits as provided in Rule 210(f), no photographic reduction of the Record on Appeal, brief or other paper is acceptable which reduces the size of the alphabet below that of pica type. Paper shall be of good quality, opaque and unglazed. Duplication through use of chemically treated paper, commonly referred to as "wet image or process copy", does not comply with this rule. Copy may be typed or reproduced on both sides if type or reproduction does not show through; provided, however, if the Record on Appeal or Appendix exceeds 100 pages, copy must be typed or reproduced on both sides of the paper. All copies must be clean, neat and clearly legible.

(d) Margins and Bindings. Typewritten papers or reproductions must have a blank margin of one inch on all sides. If more than two sheets are used, they shall be securely fastened on the left margin. While petitions or motions need not be bound, Records on Appeal, Appendices in post-conviction relief matters and briefs must be bound in volumes not exceeding 250 sheets each. If staples or clasps are used to bind the volumes, the spines of the volumes shall be bound with heavy tape. One copy of every Final Brief, Record on Appeal, Supplemental Record, or Appendix filed with the appellate court shall be filed unbound.

(e) Covers. Covers of the Record on Appeal and briefs shall be of a material not less than 50 pound weight and not glassine. The cover of the Record on Appeal shall be white; that of the brief of appellant blue; that of respondent red; that of an intervenor or amicus curiae green; and that of any reply brief gray. The front cover of a brief or Record on Appeal shall contain only the caption.

(f) Number of Copies. The number of copies required to be filed are specified in the applicable Appellate Court Rule. However, the number of copies required to be filed may be reduced by order of the Supreme Court.1

(g) Compliance. The clerk of the appellate court shall insure compliance with this Rule before accepting any papers for filing.

Last amended by Order dated April 29, 2021.

1 The Supreme Court's August 25, 2021, order specifying the reduced number of copies required is available at: https://www.sccourts.org/whatsnew/displayWhatsNew.cfm?indexId=2622.