Guide
Nevada Table of Authorities: NRAP Briefing Rules
On this page3 sections
Nevada’s ordinary opening and answering appellate briefs require a table of authorities; an ordinary reply brief does not inherit that requirement. NRAP 28(a)(3) requires cases alphabetically arranged, statutes and other authorities, with the pages of the brief where they are cited. The Supreme Court and Court of Appeals share these appellate rules. A writ petition is a different document governed by NRAP 21, not simply an opening brief with a different cover.
Build and review your Nevada table of authorities. Use the standard format: there is no Nevada-specific preset. Confirm the actual court and table settings before export; detected courts and samples can change the initial selection.
What the ordinary briefing rule says
“a table of authorities—cases (alphabetically arranged), statutes, and other authorities—with references to the pages of the brief where they are cited” — NRAP 28(a)(3).
NRAP 28(b) makes the answering brief conform to (a)(1)–(9) and (11), subject to exceptions for certain statements. The table is not among those exceptions. By contrast, NRAP 28(c) does not incorporate (a)(3). Do not describe that as an express prohibition on a voluntary reply table; it means the ordinary reply content rule does not require it. Cross-appeals follow NRAP 28.1: combined briefs can require a table even when their titles include “reply.” These are appellate filing rules, not a statewide table requirement for district-court trial motions.
| Filing or issue | Requirement and review action |
|---|---|
| Ordinary opening or answering brief | Table required under NRAP 28(a)(3) or 28(b). |
| Ordinary reply brief | NRAP 28(c) omits incorporation of (a)(3); no ordinary reply-table requirement. |
| Combined reply/answer on cross-appeal | NRAP 28.1(c)(3) incorporates (a)(1)–(9) and (11), including the table. |
| NRAP 21 extraordinary-writ petition | Separate petition contents and form provisions; no table listed in 21(a)(3). |
| Fast-track criminal opening/answer | NRAP 3C(e)(1), (f)(1) expressly permit omission of contents and authorities tables. |
| Fast-track child-custody opening/answer | NRAP 3E permits omission if no more than 20 pages or 9,334 words, or 866 monospaced lines; read the full rule and any order. |
Keep petition requirements separate from brief requirements
NRAP 21 requires a routing statement, relief sought, issues, necessary facts and reasons for the writ, including points and legal authorities. It also addresses the appendix, verification, compliance certificate and disclosure. Its form provision refers to NRAP 32(c)(2), which incorporates specified formatting paragraphs of 32(a), not NRAP 28(a)’s complete contents list. That cross-reference is not a basis for saying every petition needs an authorities table. A table may still aid navigation or be required by an order.
For an ordinary brief, put the table after the contents and before the jurisdictional statement in the sequence stated in NRAP 28(a). Keep case entries alphabetical. The rule does not expressly require separate Nevada and out-of-state case groups, so do not present that grouping as mandatory. Distinguish the opinion’s reporter pinpoint from the location in your brief. NRAP 32(a)(7)(C) excludes the authorities table from the ordinary brief’s page and type-volume limit, but the table still needs accurate citations and usable page references.
From a brief PDF to an editable Word table
- Export the brief to PDF. Retain matching Word for insertion. Use printed Roman or Arabic brief pages, not viewer sheet numbers.
- Open the TOA generator. Confirm standard-format settings, heading, categories and alphabetical case order.
- Review every entry and page against the PDF. Check complete citations and short forms, merge genuine duplicates and add omissions. Confirm whether ordinary, cross-appeal or fast-track rules govern. The app does not restyle citations.
- Export editable Word. PDF-only downloads a .docx table. Matching Word plus a text-layer PDF can insert ordinary table text. DOCX-only instead creates TA and TOA fields for Word for Windows to build and update.
- Re-export and recheck. Insertion and later edits can move references. Inspect the final PDF and regenerate if needed. Check all other filing requirements separately; the tool does not format the whole brief or add PDF bookmarks.
Do not assume the table’s physical insertion always shifts Arabic argument pages: a correctly configured section break may preserve the argument’s starting number while changing preliminary pages. Conversely, an accidental section-break change can renumber everything. Inspect the final PDF rather than relying on an offset calculation. Review the required compliance certificate and the rest of NRAP 32 separately.
Frequently asked
Does a Nevada answering brief need a table?
Yes for ordinary briefing. NRAP 28(b) incorporates the table paragraph. Check fast-track exceptions or a specific order before applying that answer to every answering filing.
Does an ordinary reply require one?
NRAP 28(c) does not incorporate the authorities-table paragraph. A combined reply and cross-appeal answer is different because NRAP 28.1(c)(3) incorporates it.
Must a writ petition include the same table?
NRAP 21 does not list it in petition contents, and its formatting cross-reference does not adopt all opening-brief sections. Check the actual petition rule and any court order; do not apply NRAP 28 indiscriminately.
Is the table excluded from a brief’s length limit?
NRAP 32(a)(7)(C) excludes it from ordinary brief page and type-volume calculations. That exclusion does not excuse an incomplete or incorrect table.
Can the generator add Nevada PDF bookmarks?
No. It produces an editable authorities table and does not add filing bookmarks or format the entire brief. Handle those obligations separately in your document-production workflow.
Sources and access status
- Nevada Judiciary: Nevada Rules of Appellate ProcedureOfficial full HTML compilation read 2026-10-14: NRAP 1, 3C, 3E, 21, 28, 28.1, 29 and 32 relevant text. Compilation says amendments through May 21, 2025; page updated May 27, 2025.nvcourts.gov
- Nevada Legislature: NRAP portal (access exception)Returned HTTP 403 on 2026-10-14. Requirement statements rely on the accessible official judiciary compilation above, not on the blocked page.leg.state.nv.us
Sources
- Nevada Judiciary: Nevada Rules of Appellate Procedurenvcourts.gov
- Nevada Legislature: NRAP portal (access exception)leg.state.nv.us
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