Guide
Missouri Table of Authorities: Rule 84.04 Brief Guide
On this page2 sections
Missouri Rule 84.04(a)(1) requires an appellant's table of cases, statutes and other authorities with references to the brief pages where they are cited; cases are alphabetically arranged. A list of citations without those page references is not enough. The table is also distinct from Missouri's selective authority lists following each Point Relied On.
Build a standard-format table of authorities from your PDF, then manually review the Missouri requirements. There is no Missouri preset. Access limit: the official rule portal and court checklist were blocked on October 14, 2026. The central requirement is supported by an actual Supreme Court opinion read through an alternate host; a full publisher reproduction was also read. Current official rule currency is not certified here.
“a table of cases (alphabetically arranged), statutes, and other authorities cited, with reference to the pages of the brief where they are cited.” — Rule 84.04(a)(1), quoted by the Supreme Court of Missouri in opinion No. SC99199 (2022), page 12
Why a citation list without pages is insufficient
The Supreme Court's opinion identifies a table containing authorities but no brief-page references as violating Rule 84.04(a)(1). It addresses multiple other defects too; its dismissal does not establish that one missing reference inevitably dismisses every appeal. The table lesson is narrower: identify the authority and locate its use in the brief.
Reporter pinpoints, legal-file pages and brief pages serve different purposes. Preserve the identifying citation in the entry, but put printed brief pages in the reference column. Page 7 of an opinion is not page 7 of your brief.
| Component | Evidence read | Manual review |
|---|---|---|
| Front-of-brief table | 84.04(a)(1), quoted in Supreme Court opinion | Every cited authority; cases alphabetical; brief-page references present and correct. |
| Respondent's table | 84.04(f), full publisher reproduction | Detailed authorities table built from the respondent's own brief; confirm current official text before filing. |
| List after each Point Relied On | 84.04(d)(5), UMKC rule excerpt and full reproduction | Most relied-on authorities; no more than four cases per point. Do not truncate the comprehensive table to four cases. |
| Reply brief | 84.04(g), full publisher reproduction | Review applicable directions; the paragraph read addresses reargument, not an express table requirement. |
| Appendix contents | 84.04(h), full publisher reproduction | An appendix contents table is not a replacement for the brief's authority table. |
Keep the Points Relied On lists separate
UMKC's Rule 84.04 excerpt reproduces paragraph (d)(5): after each Point Relied On, include no more than four cases and other provisions or authorities principally relied on. That selective list is separate from paragraph (a)(1)'s comprehensive table. An authority can appear in both.
Check citations in the jurisdictional statement, Points Relied On, standards of review and argument. Court rules and other cited legal sources belong in the review; trial-record documents do not become legal authorities merely because the brief mentions them. Research trial-court requirements independently.
A standard-format PDF-to-Word workflow
- Export the completed brief. Use intended printed pagination and retain the matching .docx. Keep any separately paginated appendix distinct when deciding which page references belong to the brief.
- Start in standard format. Open the Table of Authorities generator, then confirm actual court/settings. Detected court information or a loaded sample can override the entry selection. There is no Missouri-specific preset.
- Review the table rather than only the count. Check complete case citations, alphabetical sorting and non-case categories. Reconcile short forms and Id., merge true duplicates, add omissions and verify each printed brief page against the PDF.
- Export editable Word. PDF-only downloads the table for manual insertion. Matching Word plus a text-layer PDF can insert ordinary table text into the brief. DOCX-only creates Word fields for Word for Windows, a different route.
- Recheck after assembly. Inserting or changing the table can move pages. Export a new final PDF and compare all references again. Separately verify current briefing rules and court instructions; the table does not fix Points Relied On, citation style or filing mechanics.
Frequently asked
Are citations without brief pages enough?
No. Rule 84.04(a)(1) calls for references to the pages of the brief. The Supreme Court opinion read expressly identifies a table without those locations as a violation.
Does the four-case limit restrict the entire table?
No. Paragraph (d)(5) concerns the selective list after each Point Relied On. The front table covers authorities cited throughout the brief.
Does a respondent need a table?
The full reproduction of 84.04(f) expressly requires a detailed authorities table. Because the current official portal was inaccessible, confirm the live official rule before filing.
Does this page establish a reply-table exemption?
No. The reply paragraph read does not itself state a table requirement, but silence is not a universal exemption. Check the actual filing directions and current rules for your reply.
Can I substitute passim or trust the extraction?
The cited requirement does not establish passim permission. Review actual brief pages and use precise references unless applicable guidance supports another treatment; automatic extraction is not a filing review.
Sources and access exceptions
- Supreme Court of Missouri opinion No. SC99199 (2022)Primary judicial opinion reproduced on an alternate host; actual page 12 rule quotation and surrounding analysis read October 14, 2026. Not a current official rule compilation.yourmissourijudges.org
- Missouri Courts: Rule 84.04Official rule endpoint attempted October 14, 2026; 403. Legacy rule endpoint, official briefing checklist and direct opinion PDF also blocked. No current official full-text verification claimed.courts.mo.gov
- UMKC School of Law: Rule 84.04 excerptInstitutional rule excerpt read October 14, 2026, including paragraph (d)(5); no revision date displayed and no front-table text included.law2.umkc.edu
- Court Rules Network: Rule 84.04 reproductionFull secondary reproduction read October 14, 2026; displayed rule amendment history ends January 1, 2018. Publisher warns to verify official sources; not independently certified current.courtrules.net
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