# South Carolina Table of Authorities: SCACR 208

> South Carolina Rule 208 requires authorities tables in appellate briefs, including replies. Review initial-to-final brief changes and Word output.

*Updated: 2026-10-14*

**South Carolina appellate briefs need a table of cases, statutes and other cited authorities with brief-page references.** Rule 208(b)(1)(A), SCACR, requires alphabetically arranged cases in the appellant’s brief; Rule 208(b)(2) extends the requirement to respondents, and (b)(3) expressly requires tables in replies. Rule 208(b) also applies its content requirements to final briefs under Rule 211.

[Build a reviewed table of authorities in standard format](/table-of-authorities-generator?court=generic#tool) from your PDF and export editable Word text. There is no South Carolina-specific preset. Treat the table as one component of the appellate brief, not proof that its entire form or filing method complies.

**South Carolina fast facts**

- Rule 208(b)(1) sets the appellant’s brief headings and order: tables come before the statement of issues, case, standard of review, argument and conclusion.
- Rule 208(b)(3) explicitly requires tables of contents and authorities in all reply briefs, referencing pages of that reply.
- Rule 211(b) restricts changes between initial and final briefs to revised record references and obvious typographical errors or misspellings.
- Rule 267 governs form; its April 30, 2024 implementing order modifies practical filing presentation and allows white covers unless additional copies are requested.
- This is Supreme Court and Court of Appeals briefing guidance, not a statewide requirement for every trial-court memorandum.
- Sources checked 2026-10-14. Rule 208 page: last amended May 1, 2018; Rules 211 and 267 and the implementing order: April 30, 2024.

## What belongs in the authorities table

> “A table of contents, with page references, and a table of cases (alphabetically arranged), statutes, and other authorities cited, with references to the pages of the brief where they are cited.” — Rule 208(b)(1)(A), SCACR

The authorities table is separate from the contents table. Include the legal sources actually cited, not the transcript and exhibits used to establish facts. Record references have their own treatment in Rule 208(b)(4). Cases must be alphabetical. The quoted clause does not separately establish a statewide sorting convention for every non-case category, a particular leader pattern, or an express passim policy. Clear sections for cases, statutes and other authorities are practical navigation choices; specific brief pages make each entry easy to check.

**Brief-stage requirement matrix**

| Filing | Governing provision | What to check |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Appellant’s initial brief | Rule 208(b)(1)(A) | Tables first; alphabetical cases and references to pages of this brief. |
| Respondent’s initial brief | Rule 208(b)(2) | The incorporated requirements include tables; permitted omissions concern other statements. |
| Initial reply brief | Rule 208(b)(3) | Both tables expressly required; destinations are pages of the reply. |
| Final briefs | Rules 208(b), 211(b) | Retain the table requirements; changes from initial briefs are limited. |
| Record-reference revisions | Rule 211(b)(1) | Update references to the prepared Record on Appeal without treating this as authority-table page numbering. |
| Filing presentation | Rule 267 and April 30, 2024 order | Read the implementing order alongside the rule, not just a cover-color checklist. |

## Initial to final: a second pagination checkpoint

Rule 211(b) says final briefs shall be identical to the briefs previously served under Rule 208 except for its specified changes. Record references are revised to identify the material in the Record on Appeal. Obvious typographical errors and misspellings may be corrected; no other changes may be made. Do not treat the final-brief stage as an opportunity to rewrite arguments or add authorities.

Even an authorized correction or revised record citation can affect line wrapping and move later printed pages. Recheck the authorities table against the final assembled PDF. This is a quality-control check, not independent permission to make substantive changes. A record citation such as R. p. 15 locates evidence in the record; an authorities-table reference locates the legal citation in the brief. Keep those two destinations distinct.

## Read Rule 267 with its implementing order

Rule 208(b)(8) directs briefs to Rule 267, with stated initial-brief exceptions. Rule 267(c) provides standard 12-point or larger type and double spacing on 8½-by-11-inch paper; (d) specifies one-inch margins. The April 30, 2024 order under Rule 267(f) supplies important presentation instructions: paper submissions are unbound and unstapled, electronic submissions other than facsimile use PDF, and brief covers may be white unless additional copies are requested. Requested additional copies must meet the specified margin, binding and cover-color requirements.

Accordingly, do not present Rule 267’s traditional cover colors and bindings as the only current filing checklist. Confirm the filing method, any request for additional copies and applicable orders. The generator does not bind papers, set the brief’s typography or prepare its e-filing features. These appellate rules do not automatically require an authorities table in a circuit-court motion memorandum; consult that court’s governing rules and order.

## PDF review and editable Word workflow

- **1. Export the brief being prepared.** Use the actual initial, respondent, reply or final draft. Retain the matching DOCX for insertion and identify its printed page numbers.
- **2. Open standard format.** Use the [TOA generator](/table-of-authorities-generator?court=generic#tool). Confirm the court/settings; detected courts and sample files can change the entry selection. South Carolina has no named preset.
- **3. Review every authority.** Check full citations, short forms, Id. relationships and non-case sources in footnotes and standards of review. Merge duplicates only when they identify the same authority; the app does not restyle citation text.
- **4. Check the page lists.** Compare every destination with the printed page in the PDF, not the viewer’s sheet count, reporter pinpoint or Record on Appeal page.
- **5. Export and assemble.** PDF-only downloads an editable Word table. Matching Word plus text-layer PDF can insert ordinary table text into the Word brief. Place the tables in the rule’s sequence and review the whole brief separately.
- **6. Re-export and recheck.** After insertion or authorized final-brief corrections, compare all references with the assembled PDF. Regenerate if pagination changed.

The DOCX-only route creates Word fields for Word for Windows to build and update. That differs from the ordinary editable table produced by the PDF routes. None of the routes adds e-filing bookmarks or guarantees filing compliance.

> **Prepare the table privately:** Brief Authority is free, needs no account, and processes your brief on-device without uploading it. Use standard format, review every citation and page, and apply South Carolina’s brief-stage and filing requirements separately.

[Build a standard authorities table](/table-of-authorities-generator?court=generic#tool)

Free. No account. Your brief stays in your browser, never uploaded.

## Frequently asked

**Does a reply brief need an authorities table?**

Yes. Rule 208(b)(3) expressly requires both a table of contents and a table of cases, statutes and other authorities, with references to the reply’s own pages.

**Can the respondent omit the table?**

Rule 208(b)(2) incorporates (b)(1)(A)–(F). Its permitted omissions concern statements of issues, case or standard of review, not the tables required by (A).

**May I add new arguments when preparing the final brief?**

Not under Rule 211(b)’s stated exceptions. The final brief is identical except for revised record references and corrections of obvious typographical errors or misspellings. No other changes may be made under that rule.

**Must every filed brief have a colored cover and binding?**

Read the April 30, 2024 Rule 267(f) order. It permits white covers except when additional copies are requested and directs paper submissions to be unbound and unstapled. Requested additional copies have their own requirements.

**Can I use passim or claim preset compliance?**

The cited table clause supplies no express passim permission; specific page lists are easier to verify. There is no South Carolina-specific preset, and a standard exported table does not certify the brief’s compliance.

**Official sources actually read**

- [SCACR Rule 208: Initial Briefs](https://www.sccourts.org/resources/judicial-community/court-rules/appellate/rule-208/): Read complete rule, including (b)(1)–(3), (4) and (8), on 2026-10-14. Official page states last amendment May 1, 2018.
- [SCACR Rule 211: Final Briefs](https://www.sccourts.org/resources/judicial-community/court-rules/appellate/rule-211/): Read (a)–(b) on 2026-10-14; official page last amended April 30, 2024.
- [SCACR Rule 267: Form of Papers](https://www.sccourts.org/resources/judicial-community/court-rules/appellate/rule-267/): Read the rule and linked implementing-order reference on 2026-10-14; last amended April 30, 2024.
- [Supreme Court of South Carolina: Formatting and Additional Copies under Rule 267(f)](https://www.sccourts.org/media/courtOrders/PDFs/2024-04-30-02.pdf): Read the full April 30, 2024 order, including paper/PDF presentation, white covers and requested additional copies. Checked 2026-10-14; all cited sources accessible.

**Related guides**

- [Authorities requirements by state](/table-of-authorities-by-state)
- [Table of authorities format](/table-of-authorities-format)
- [Build a table from a PDF](/table-of-authorities-from-pdf)