Revised December 2009


A simple guide to the proper and timely preparation of your appeal. This guide is provided in both HTML format and as a PDF document. Please choose the version best suited to your research methods.

Perfecting Your Appeal   

In an effort to improve the quality of appellate advocacy, the Ninth Circuit has produced a 28-minute practice guide video. Separate versions oriented toward criminal and civil appeals are available. The guide is a valuable aid for both experienced and novice advocates, and is available as a digital download from this website. Copies are also available for viewing at all circuit library locations.

The guide, collaboratively developed by members of the Ninth Circuit bench, seasoned practitioners and court staff, traces a hypothetical case from filing to disposition.

Please note that these videos were created prior to the Court's use of the Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) system, which allows documents to be filed electronically. Some of the references in the videos to filing documents by mail or in person are therefore outdated. Please refer to the 9th Circuit Rules for current filing requirements.

View Videos: Perfecting Your Appeal: A Civil Case, A Criminal Case 

A Civil Case

A Criminal Case