---
name: appellant-brief
title: Appellate Brief — Appellant
description: Drafts the appellant's opening brief challenging a lower court decision in federal or state appellate courts. Covers issue selection, standard of review framing, record citation, argument structure, and procedural compliance under FRAP 28/32 or state equivalents. Use when preparing an appellant's opening brief, selecting appellate issues, structuring appellate arguments, or demonstrating reversible error on appeal.
author: CaseMark
author_url: https://github.com/CaseMark/skills/tree/main/skills/legal/appellant-brief
license: Apache-2.0
version: 0.1.0
execution_mode: open
jurisdiction: us
practice: litigation
language: en
tags: [brief, drafting]
---

# Appellate Brief — Appellant

Drafts the appellant's opening brief demonstrating reversible error through the record while overcoming deference to the court below.

## Prerequisites

1. **Lower court decision** — opinion, order, or judgment being appealed
2. **Trial record** — transcripts, exhibits, motions, and orders
3. **Preservation map** — where each issue was raised and ruled on below
4. **Appellate rules** — FRAP 28/32 or state equivalent, local rules, word limits
5. **Filing deadline** — from notice of appeal or court order

## Output Structure

### Front Matter

| Element | Notes |
|---|---|
| Cover page | Appellant typically red under FRAP 32 [VERIFY] |
| Corporate disclosure | If applicable |
| Table of Contents | Use argumentative headings |
| Table of Authorities | Include pin cites |
| Jurisdictional statement | Basis, finality, timeliness |

### Statement of Issues

- Frame 1–3 issues as questions suggesting reversal
- Each must have been preserved below
- Order strongest to weakest

### Statement of the Case

**Procedural history**: filing, key motions, rulings, judgment, post-trial motions.

**Statement of facts**:
- Narrate from the record favoring reversal
- Cite record extensively (transcript pages, exhibit numbers)
- Include facts the lower court overlooked or mischaracterized
- Be scrupulously accurate — misrepresenting the record destroys credibility

### Summary of Argument

1–2 pages; each paragraph maps to a major argument heading.

### Argument

For each issue:

| Step | Content |
|---|---|
| Standard of review | Identify and cite controlling authority |
| Preservation | Where raised and ruled on below |
| Legal framework | Governing rule with controlling authority |
| Error identification | What the lower court got wrong |
| Application | Correct application of law to record requires reversal |
| Prejudice/harm | Error affected the outcome (not harmless) |

### Conclusion

State specific relief: reverse, reverse and remand, or reverse and render.

### Certificates and Addenda

- Certificate of Compliance (word count, typeface)
- Certificate of Service
- Addendum with constitutional/statutory provisions or key orders, if required

## Standard of Review Quick Reference

| Standard | Burden on Appellant | Framing Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| De novo | Show correct legal interpretation | Make strongest affirmative case for your reading |
| Abuse of discretion | Show irrational or unsupported reasoning | Attack the logic and evidentiary basis |
| Clearly erroneous | Show finding against clear weight of evidence | Marshal record evidence contradicting the finding |

## Guidelines

- **Fewer issues win** — select 1–3 strong issues; scattershot briefing dilutes credibility
- Cite the record relentlessly — appellate courts decide on the record, not new arguments
- Use argumentative headings that state conclusions
- Distinguish unfavorable authority rather than ignoring it
- Address harmless error proactively for each issue
- Never misrepresent the record — appellate judges check citations
- Verify all authority or mark `[VERIFY]`
- Jurisdiction note: confirm FRAP vs. state appellate rules; local rules may impose additional requirements
