Clerk of the Appellate Courts
216 State House
200 West Washington Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204

Clerk
Kevin S. Smith

Main Office
Pho: 317.232.1930
Fax: 317.232.8365

Records Division
Pho: 317.232.7225

Roll of Attorneys Administrator
Pho: 317.232.5861 Ext. 4

Email the Clerk's Office

Appellate Clerk's Office > Frequently Asked Questions Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How do I initiate an appeal before the Indiana Court of Appeals?

    See Rule 9 of the Indiana Rules of Appellate Procedure ("App.R.").

  2. How do I initiate an appeal before the Indiana Supreme Court?

    See App.R. 9, 56, 59, and 60.

  3. How do I petition for transfer to the Indiana Supreme Court?

    See App.Rs. 56 and 57.

  4. What is the fee for filing an appeal?

    $250.00 for filing an original appeal with the Supreme Court or Court of Appeals. See App.R. 9. (NOTE: The Notice of Appeal is filed with the Clerk of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Tax Court, and a copy served contemporaneously by the appellant on the clerk of the trial court, among others.  See App. R. 24(A).)

  5. How many copies of motions, petitions, briefs, and other documents are required?

    See App.R. 23(C).

    Notice of Appeal; Appearances Original and one (1) copy
    Motions for: Extension of Time, to Withdraw Record, to Withdraw Appearance, or to File Oversized Document Original and one (1) copy
    All other motions and responses Original and five (5) copies
    Briefs, Notices of Additional Authorities, and Petitions for Rehearing, Transfer, or Review Original and eight (8) copies.
    Appendices One (1) copy only.

  6. What are the page and word limitations on filings? How must my documents be bound, and what color should my brief cover be?

    See App.R. 43, Form of Briefs and Petitions; App.R. 44, Brief and Petition Length Limitations; App.R. 46, Arrangement and Contents of Briefs.

  7. The appellant's counsel has served me with a copy of his brief that is not file-stamped and which does not indicate the appellate cause number. How can I find out when the appellee's brief is due and the appellate cause number?

    The appellee's brief's due date is based on the date you were served, which can be found on the certificate of service located at the back of the appellant's brief. If service was made by mail or third-party commercial carrier, you would then add three additional days to the 30-day due date. See App.Rs. 24 and 25. To find out the appellate cause number, you can either call the Clerk's Office at 317.232.1930 or search for your appeal through the Clerk's Online Docket.

  8. How do I file documents with the appellate courts?

    See App.R. 23, Filing, and App.R. 24, Service of Documents.

  9. What are the business hours of the Clerk's Office?

    The Clerk's Office is open 8:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on State holidays. After 4:30 p.m., filings may be deposited in the U.S. mail, deposited with a third-party commercial carrier, or left in the Rotunda Filing Drop Box, located inside State House's second floor east entrance vestibule. See App. R. 23(A). Filings that are in compliance with the Rules of Appellate Procedure will be file-stamped as of the date and time they are deposited in the Rotunda Filing Drop Box, or the date they are post-marked if deposited in the mail, or the date noted on the packaging if deposited with a third-party commercial carrier. Filings deposited on a Saturday, Sunday, or state holiday will be file-stamped as of the next business day.

  10. What if my brief is due on a Saturday, a Sunday or a holiday?

    If your filing deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, then it is due on the first business day thereafter. See App.R. 25, Computation of Time.

  11. If I submit a document for filing by mail, is it considered "filed" when it is mailed?

    Provided the document is in proper form, the document is deemed filed as of the date it is placed in the United States mail if the postage is prepaid and the envelope or package is properly addressed to the Clerk of the Indiana Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and Tax Court. The postmark on the envelope creates a rebuttable presumption that the document was placed in the mail on the date indicated by the postmark.

  12. May I file documents by facsimile transmission (fax)?

    No. The Appellate Rules do not allow filing by fax.

  13. Do I get three extra days to file if the document I am responding to was served on me by mail?

    Generally, yes. See App.R. 25(C).

  14. How can I check the status of my appeal?

You can monitor the progress of your appeal by logging onto the Clerk's Online Docket and typing in either your appellate case number, trial court case number, the party's last name, or the attorney's last name.