12/24/2016

FrequentlyAskedQuestions

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UpdatedDecember1,2016

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UNITEDSTATESCOURTOFAPPEALSfortheNINTHCIRCUIT
OfficeoftheClerk

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FREQUENTLYASKEDQUESTIONS
(updatedDecember2016)

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1.WhatistheCourtsaddress?

AppellateCommissioner
BankruptcyAppellatePanel

MailingAddressfor
U.S.PostalService

Welcometothe
Internetportalof
theUnited
StatesCourts
fortheNinth
Circuit.
Chief
more>>

OfficeoftheClerk
JamesR.BrowningCourthouse
U.S.CourtofAppeals
P.O.Box193939
SanFrancisco,CA
941193939

Judge

MailingAddressfor
OvernightDelivery
(FedEx,UPS,etc.)
OfficeoftheClerk
JamesR.BrowningCourthouse
U.S.CourtofAppeals
95SeventhStreet
SanFrancisco,CA
941031526

StreetAddress

95SeventhStreet
SanFrancisco,CA
94103
Publicentranceisat
thecornerof7thStreet
andMissionStreet.

Sidney
Thomas

2.WherecanIfindinformationaboutelectronicfilingandtheAppellateCaseManagement/ElectronicCaseFiles
(CM/ECF)system?
AllinformationaboutelectronicfilingandAppellateCM/ECFisavailableathttp://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/cmecf/

3.Whathoursareyouopenforfilingandareyouopenduringthelunchhour?
Thecourthouseisopenfrom8:30am5:00pmMondaythroughFriday,exceptfederalholidays.Yes,weareopenduringthe
lunchhour.
AppellateCM/ECFallowsyoutofiledocumentselectronically24hoursaday,7daysaweek.Forinformationaboutsystem
outages,checkhttp://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/cmecf/.

4.Isadocumentconsideredtimelyifitisservedontheduedate?
Onlybriefsandexcerptsofrecordareconsideredtimelywhenservedontheduedate.Allotherdocuments,includingmotions,
petitionsforrehearing,andbillofcosts,mustbedeliveredtothecourtorelectronicallyfilednolaterthantheduedate.See
FederalRuleofAppellateProcedure25(a)(2)(A)and(a)(2)(B).

5.WhatshouldIdoifIhaveanemergencymotion?
AnyemergencysituationmustbebroughttotheattentionoftheMotionsUnit.Duringbusinesshours,calltheMotionsUnit
directlyat(415)3558020.Afterhours,call(415)3558509.See9thCircuitRule273.

6.WhatcolorshouldIuseforthecoverofmybrief?
OpeningBriefbyappellantandpetitioner:Blue
AnsweringBriefbyappelleeandrespondent:
Red

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FrequentlyAskedQuestions
ReplyBrief:
Gray
Briefbyamicusandintervenor:
Green
SecondBriefonCrossappeal:
Red
ThirdBriefonCrossappeal:
Yellow
SupplementalBrief:
Tan
AdditionalFAQsregardingbriefscanbefoundathttp://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/cmecf/faqs/
7.Whatarethepageorwordcountlimitationsformybrief?
Thelengthofaprincipalbriefmaynotexceed14,000wordsor,ifhandwrittenortypewritten,50pages.Replybriefsmaynot
exceed7,000wordsor,ifhandwrittenortypewritten,25pages.See9thCircuitRule321.
AdditionalFAQsregardingbriefscanbefoundathttp://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/cmecf/faqs/

8.WhatbelongsintheExcerptsofRecordandwhatcoloristhecover?
Pleaseread9thCircuitRule301(or171foragencyappeals)foranexplanationofthecontentsoftheExcerptsofRecord.
Excerptsarerequiredtobeelectronicallysubmittedunlessthefilerisexempt,andthepaper
copieshavewhitecovers.
Sealedexcerptsarenowrequiredtobefiledelectronicallyunlessthefilerisexempt,asarethepresentencereports,which
shouldnotbeincludedintheexcerpts.SeeInterim9thCircuitRule2713.
UnrepresentedlitigantsarenotrequiredtofileExcerptsofRecord.
PetitionerschallenginganorderoftheBoardofImmigrationAppealsareexemptedfromtheExcerptsrequirementbutmust
includeanaddendum(thedecisionbytheimmigrationjudgeand/orBoardofImmigrationAppeals)whichshouldbeboundwith
thebriefpursuantto9thCircuitRule282.7.

AdditionalFAQsregardingexcerptscanbefoundathttp://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/cmecf/faqs/

9.IfIfiledadocumentelectronically,howmanypapercopiesshouldIsendtotheCourt?
Briefs:7copies,butsendpapercopiestotheCourtonlyafteryoureceiveanorderrequestingthem.
Excerpts:4copies,butsendpapercopiestotheCourtonlyafteryoureceiveanorderrequestingthem.
Everythingelse:None,unlesstheCourtordersyoutosubmitpapercopies.

10.IfIamfilingadocumentbypaperandnotelectronicallyviatheAppellateECFsystem,howmanypapercopies
shouldIsendtotheCourt?
AttorneysmustfileALLdocuments(exceptoriginalpetitions)electronicallyviatheAppellateECFsystem,unlesstheyhave
obtainedanexemptionfromtheCourt.
ForUnrepresentedandExemptFilers:
Briefs:Original+7copiesofthebriefExcerptsofRecord:4copies
Everythingelse:Onlytheoriginalpaperdocument
Atitsdiscretion,theCourtmayorderthatadditionalpapercopiesofanydocumentbefiled.
ForacopystampedFiled(aconformedcopy),pleaseprovideanextracopyofthedocumentalongwithaselfaddressed
label.

11.CanIspeaktoajudgeaboutmycase?
No,allquestionsaboutyourcaseshouldbedirectedtotheClerkeitherbycalling(415)3558000orbyputtingyourquestionin
writing.See9thCircuitRule252.

FEES/COPIES
12.HowcanIobtainacopyofadecision?
DecisionsareavailableonPACERandarealsoavailableforfreeathttp://www.ca9.uscourts.govunderOpinions.

13.WhatarethemostcommonfeesintheNinthCircuit(asofDecember1,2016)?
Thecurrentfeescheduleislocatedathttp://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/content/view.php?pk_id=0000000559

14.WheredoIfileaNoticeofAppealandwheredoIpaythefee?
Wheretofile:
YoumustfileyourNoticeofAppealintheoriginatingcourt(thedistrictcourt,BAP,bankruptcycourt,ortaxcourt).

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FrequentlyAskedQuestions
Wheretopayfee:
DistrictCourt:The$505.00filingfeeiscollectedbythedistrictcourt.Partialpaymentsarecollectedbythedistrictcourt.
BAP:Thefeefor9thCircuitBankruptcyAppellatePanel(BAP)casesarepayabletoClerk,U.S.Courtsandcollectedbythe
9thCircuitCourtofAppealsusingtheSanFranciscoaddress.
TaxCourt:ThefeeforTaxCourtcasesiscollectedbytheTaxCourt.See9thCircuitRule31.

15.HowcanIobtainacopyofthe9thCircuitRulesorGeneralOrders?
Bothdocumentsareavailableforfreeathttp://www.ca9.uscourts.govunderRules.

16.HowcanIgetcopiesofforms?
Formsareavailableathttp://www.ca9.uscourts.govunderForms.YoumayalsocalltheClerksOfficeat(415)3558000orsend
awrittenrequest.

BRIEFING/HEARINGPROCESS
17.Howlongdoesittakefromthetimeofthenoticeofappealuntiloralargument?
Foracivilappeal,approximately1220monthsfromthenoticeofappealdate.Ifbriefingisntdelayed,approximately912
monthsfromcompletionofbriefing.
Foracriminalappeal,approximately45monthsafterbriefingiscomplete.

18.Howlongdoesittakefromthetimeofargumenttothetimeofdecision?
TheCourthasnotimelimit,butmostcasesaredecidedwithin3monthstoayear.

19.Howlongdoesittaketodecideapetitionforpanelrehearingorpetitionforrehearingenbanc?
TheCourthasnotimelimit.Adecisiononapetitionforrehearingenbancmaytakeafewmonths.

20.HowcanIgetacopyofabrief,motion,etc.?
AlldocumentsfiledafterJanuary1,2009(withtheexceptionofExcerptsofRecordfiledbeforeMarch1,2013,andsealedor
restricteddocuments)areavailableonlineviaPACER.FormoreinformationonPACER,gotohttp://www.pacer.gov/psc/faq.html
Fordocumentsofupto10pages,theClerksOfficewillcopythemfor
$0.50perpage.YoucancometotheCourtandcopyanydocumentsfor
$0.25perpageonthepubliccopyma

21.HowcanIgetanaudiocopyofanoralargument?
Oralargumentsareavailableforfreeathttp://www.ca9.uscourts.govunderAudioandVideo.

22.Istherepublicwireless(WiFi)accessinthecourtrooms?
InSanFrancisco,WiFiaccessisnotavailableinthecourtrooms,butitisavailableinthecaf.
InPasadena,WiFiaccessisnotavailableinthecourtrooms,butitisavailableintheattorneyloungesandthelibrary.
InSeattle,WiFiaccessisavailableinallcourtrooms.
InPortland,WiFiaccessisnotavailableinthecourtrooms,butitisavailableintheattorneylounge.

ATTORNEYADMISSIONS
Alistoffrequentlyaskedquestions(FAQs)concerningAttorneyAdmissionsisavailableat:
http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/uploads/forms/atty_faqs.pdf

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