Rule 18 - Filing and Service of Briefs(A) Time for serving and filing briefs. Except as provided in App. R. 14(C), the appellant shall serve and file the appellant's brief within twenty days after the date on which the clerk has mailed the notice required by App. R. 11(B). The appellee shall serve and file the appellee's brief within twenty days after service of the brief of the appellant. The appellant may serve and file a reply brief within ten days after service of the brief of the appellee.(B) Number of copies to be filed and served. Four copies of each brief shall be filed with the clerk, unless the court by order in a particular case shall direct a different number, and one copy shall be served on counsel for each party separately represented. If the court by local rule adopted pursuant to App. R. 13 permits electronic filing of court documents, then the requirement for filing of copies with the clerk required in this division may be waived or modified by the local rule so adopted.(C) Consequence of failure to file briefs. If an appellant fails to file the appellant's brief within the time provided by this rule, or within the time as extended, the court may dismiss the appeal. If an appellee fails to file the appellee's brief within the time provided by this rule, or within the time as extended, the appellee will not be heard at oral argument except by permission of the court upon a showing of good cause submitted in writing prior to argument; and in determining the appeal, the court may accept the appellant's statement of the facts and issues as correct and reverse the judgment if appellant's brief reasonably appears to sustain such action.Effective:7/1/1971; amended effective 7/1/1982;7/1/2001.Staff Note (July 1, 2001 Amendment)
Appellate Rule 18Filing and Service of Briefs
Appellate Rule 18(B) Number of copies to be filed and served
The amendments to this rule were part of a group of amendments that were submitted by the Ohio Courts Digital Signatures Task Force to establish minimum standards for the use of information systems, electronic signatures, and electronic filing. The substantive amendment to this rule was the addition of the last sentence of division (B).
As part of this electronic filing and signature project, the following rules were amended effective July 1, 2001: Civil Rules 5, 11, and 73; Criminal Rule 12; Juvenile Rule 8; and Appellate Rules 13 and 18. In addition, Rule 26 of the Rules of Superintendence for Courts of Ohio was amended and Rule of Superintendence 27 was added to complement the rules of procedure. Superintendence Rule 27 establishes a process by which minimum standards for information technology are promulgated, and requires that courts submit any local rule involving the use of information technology to a technology standards committee designated by the Supreme Court for approval.