Because Durst Kerridge regularly practices in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, we closely monitor changes to Court rules.
The rules applicable to Appellate Practice in the Sixth Circuit include the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, Sixth Circuit Rules (i.e., Local Rules), Sixth Circuit Internal Operating Procedures and Sixth Circuit Guide to Electronic Filing. The Sixth Circuit has conveniently combined all of these rules in a single document available on the Court’s website.
On May 21, 2025, the Sixth Circuit Clerk’s Office officially announced the implementation of Brief Quality Control (QC). This innovative feature is designed to proactively identify potential non-compliance issues in appellate briefs prior to formal filing.
How Brief QC Works
- Brief QC automatically assesses briefs for adherence to the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure and Sixth Circuit Rules. This functionality enables counsel to identify and address deficiencies before a filing is submitted.
- Upon initiating a CM/ECF brief filing event and attaching the relevant document, the system will automatically initiate a review for formatting and other common errors. Upon completion of the review, should any discrepancies be detected, the “Document Check Result” screen will be displayed, detailing the noted errors.
- If errors are noted, Counsel will have the option to either “Cancel” the docketing event, thereby exiting CM/ECF to facilitate necessary corrections to the brief, or to proceed with filing the brief “as is” by selecting the “Continue” option. Selecting “Cancel” will terminate the docketing process, and no record of the transaction will be entered on the docket sheet. Conversely, selecting “Continue” will finalize the brief’s submission.
Brief QC is effective June 2, 2025. ECF procedures are detailed here.
About Durst Kerridge
Durst Kerridge is an Ohio and nationwide litigation boutique that practices extensively in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and other appellate courts. To contact Durst Kerridge, call (513) 621-4999 or reach out to Alex J. Durst or Paul R. Kerridge directly.
