Guide
New York Table of Authorities: 22 NYCRR 1250.8, Rule 500.13 and Tanbook Style
On this page6 sections
The short answer
In the Appellate Division, 22 NYCRR 1250.8(b)(2) requires “a table of cases (alphabetically arranged), statutes and other authorities, indicating the pages of the brief where they are cited,” as the second item in the appellant's brief. In the Court of Appeals, 22 NYCRR 500.13(a) requires “a table of cases and authorities.” In both courts the table is excluded from the 14,000-word limit for principal briefs. Neither rule mentions passim. New York authorities must be cited to the Official Reports (CPLR 5529 [e]; 22 NYCRR 500.1 [g]), and the Law Reporting Bureau's Style Manual (the “Tanbook”) sets the form: no period after “v,” reporters written “NY3d” and “AD3d,” and no supra. This is general formatting guidance, not legal advice. Last verified: 2026-09-24.
Appellate Division: 22 NYCRR 1250.8
“(b) Appellant's Brief. The appellant's brief shall include, in the following order: (1) a table of contents, which shall include (i) a list of point headings and (ii) the contents of the appendix, if it is not bound separately … ; (2) a table of cases (alphabetically arranged), statutes and other authorities, indicating the pages of the brief where they are cited; …”
Part 1250 is the joint set of Practice Rules adopted by all four Departments of the Appellate Division, effective September 17, 2018. The respondent's brief “shall conform to the requirements of subdivision (b)” (1250.8 [c]), and a reply brief “shall conform to the requirements of subdivision (b), without repetition” (1250.8 [d]). So every brief in the Appellate Division carries the table. Each Department also has its own local rules; check them for anything the joint rule does not cover.
The word limit is in 1250.8(f)(2): computer-generated appellants' and respondents' briefs “shall not exceed 14,000 words, and reply and amicus curiae briefs shall not exceed 7,000 words, inclusive of point headings and footnotes and exclusive of signature blocks and pages including the table of contents, table of citations, proof of service, certificate of compliance, or any addendum authorized pursuant to subdivision (k).” Typewritten and handwritten briefs get 50 pages (25 for reply and amicus briefs), with the same exclusions (1250.8 [g] [2], [i] [2]).
Court of Appeals: 22 NYCRR Part 500
“(a) Content. All briefs shall conform to the requirements of section 500.1 of this Part and contain a table of contents, a table of cases and authorities, questions presented, point headings, and, if necessary, a disclosure statement pursuant to section 500.1(f) of this Part.”
Rule 500.13(c)(1) limits principal briefs to 14,000 words and reply briefs, amicus briefs and briefs in response to amicus briefs to 7,000 words. Rule 500.13(c)(3) says the limits “apply only to the body of the brief and are exclusive of the statement of status of the related litigation; the corporate disclosure statement; the table of contents, the table of cases and authorities and the statement of questions presented.” Rule 500.13 says nothing about the order of entries inside the table or about passim.
| Question | Appellate Division (22 NYCRR 1250.8) | Court of Appeals (22 NYCRR 500.13) |
|---|---|---|
| Court's term | “table of cases (alphabetically arranged), statutes and other authorities”; “table of citations” in the length rules | “table of cases and authorities” |
| Position in brief | Second, after the table of contents (1250.8 [b] [2]) | Listed with the table of contents, questions presented and point headings |
| Required order | Cases alphabetical | Not specified |
| Page references | “indicating the pages of the brief where they are cited” | Not spelled out in 500.13 |
| Principal brief limit | 14,000 words (50 pages typed or handwritten) | 14,000 words (35 pages typed or handwritten) |
| Table counts toward limit? | No (1250.8 [f] [2]) | No (500.13 [c] [3]) |
| Passim | Rule is silent | Rule is silent |
| Citation form | Official Reports (CPLR 5529 [e]) | Official Reports “if available” (500.1 [g]) |
How Tanbook style changes the entries
The New York Law Reports Style Manual (2022 edition with 2024 update), published by the Law Reporting Bureau, is the style of the Official Reports. The rules require official citations; the Tanbook is the style that goes with them. Several of its forms look wrong to a Bluebook-trained eye and are easy for a table-building tool to mis-sort or split.
| Feature | Tanbook form | Effect on the table |
|---|---|---|
| No period after “v” | People v Ramos, 90 NY2d 490 | Search and sort must not depend on “v.” |
| Reporters without spaces or periods | NY3d, NY2d, AD3d, Misc 3d | Official reporter only; parallel unofficial cites are not used for officially reported New York cases |
| Year and court | Inside parentheses in text: [3d Dept 2005]. In a citation standing alone, brackets become parentheses: (3d Dept 2005) | Table entries stand alone, so use parentheses (Style Manual § 1.2 [d]) |
| Court of Appeals cases | Cayuga Nation v Campbell, 34 NY3d 282 (2019) | No court name; “NY3d” identifies the court |
| “Matter of” | Matter of Cornell Univ. v Beer, 16 AD3d 890 (3d Dept 2005) | Decide whether to alphabetize under M or the party name, then be consistent; the rules are silent |
| Statutes | CPLR 5501 (a); Penal Law § 125.25 (1) | A space before each subdivision; CPLR and CPL take no section symbol |
| No supra | “Do not use ‘supra’ to shorten a subsequent citation” (§ 1.3 [b] [2]) | Later references are short forms or id.; credit their pages to the full entry |
Example: a New York table of cases and authorities
Table of Authorities
Example; real authorities in Tanbook form, hypothetical page numbers
| Authority | Page(s) |
|---|---|
| Cases | |
| Cayuga Nation v Campbell, 34 NY3d 282 (2019) | 8, 12 |
| Matter of Cornell Univ. v Beer, 16 AD3d 890 (3d Dept 2005) | 14 |
| People v Ramos, 90 NY2d 490 (1997) | 9-11 |
| Rogers v Rogers, 63 NY2d 582 (1984) | 6 |
| Solomon v State of New York, 146 AD2d 439 (1st Dept 1989) | 15, 17 |
| Statutes | |
| CPLR 5501 (a) | 2 |
| CPLR 5531 | 20 |
| Penal Law § 125.25 (1) | 7 |
| Rules | |
| 22 NYCRR 1250.8 (b) (2) | 19 |
All five cases appear as examples in the Law Reporting Bureau's Style Manual; they are used here only to show format. The entries drop the pinpoint pages and use parentheses, as the Style Manual directs for citations that stand alone. Matter of Cornell Univ. v Beer is filed under M here; the rules do not say whether “Matter of” cases go under M or under the party name, so choose one approach and apply it to every such case in the brief.
The unique New York element: the table's name changes inside the same rule
Section 1250.8(b)(2) describes the table as a “table of cases (alphabetically arranged), statutes and other authorities,” while subdivisions (f), (g) and (i) exclude the “table of citations” from the length limits. The Court of Appeals calls it a “table of cases and authorities.” The practical point is that the headings “Table of Authorities,” “Table of Cases and Authorities” and “Table of Citations” all describe the same required section; what the rules actually check is that cases are alphabetical, statutes and other authorities are included, and pages are given.
New York checklist
- Place the table right after the table of contents (Appellate Division, 1250.8 [b] [2]).
- Cases alphabetical; statutes and other authorities included; brief page numbers for every entry.
- Official Reports citations for New York decisions; no parallel unofficial cites for officially reported cases.
- One citation style throughout, preferably Tanbook: “v” without a period, NY3d/AD3d, parentheses in stand-alone entries.
- No supra in the body (Tanbook); credit short forms and id. to the full entry.
- Confirm the word count excludes the table (1250.8 [f] [2]; 500.13 [c] [3]) and that the printing specifications statement reports it.
- Check your Department's local rules for anything beyond Part 1250.
If you are representing yourself
Part 1250 lets self-represented litigants file handwritten briefs (1250.8 [i]), though the rule says they are “not encouraged.” The Appellate Division, Third Department publishes step-by-step instructions for perfecting a civil appeal, and the Court of Appeals publishes a guide to taking a case to that court, including a pro se motion form for leave to appeal. Links are in the sources below.
Frequently asked
What does 22 NYCRR 1250.8 require for a table of authorities?
Section 1250.8(b)(2) requires “a table of cases (alphabetically arranged), statutes and other authorities, indicating the pages of the brief where they are cited,” as the second item in the appellant's brief. Respondent's and reply briefs must conform to the same subdivision.
Does the table of authorities count toward the Appellate Division word limit?
No. Section 1250.8(f)(2) sets 14,000 words for principal briefs and 7,000 for reply and amicus briefs, “exclusive of signature blocks and pages including the table of contents, table of citations, proof of service, certificate of compliance,” and authorized addenda.
What does the Court of Appeals require?
22 NYCRR 500.13(a) requires “a table of cases and authorities.” Rule 500.13(c)(3) excludes it, with the table of contents and questions presented, from the 14,000-word limit for principal briefs.
Can I use passim in a New York brief?
Neither 22 NYCRR 1250.8 nor Part 500 mentions passim. The Appellate Division rule asks for “the pages of the brief where they are cited,” so listing every page is always compliant.
Do I have to use the Tanbook instead of the Bluebook?
The rules require Official Reports citations for New York decisions (CPLR 5529 [e]; 22 NYCRR 500.1 [g]); they do not name a style manual. The Tanbook is the Official Reports' own style, used for New York's published court opinions. Whatever you choose, use it consistently in the body and the table.
How do I cite a New York case in the table?
In Tanbook form as a stand-alone citation: People v Ramos, 90 NY2d 490 (1997), or Matter of Cornell Univ. v Beer, 16 AD3d 890 (3d Dept 2005). No period after “v,” and the Appellate Division Department goes in the parenthetical.
Sources
- 22 NYCRR 1250.8 — Form and Content of Briefs (Cornell LII)law.cornell.edu
- Appellate Division, First Department — Practice Rules (22 NYCRR Part 1250)nycourts.gov
- 22 NYCRR 500.13 — Content and form of briefs in normal course appeals (Cornell LII)law.cornell.edu
- 22 NYCRR 500.1 — General requirements, incl. (g) citation form (Cornell LII)law.cornell.edu
- New York Law Reports Style Manual (2022, with 2024 update) — Law Reporting Bureaunycourts.gov
- Law Reporting Bureau — Law Reports Style Manual (Tanbook) menunycourts.gov
- Appellate Division, Third Department — Instructions for Perfecting a Civil Appeal (PDF)nycourts.gov
- New York Court of Appeals — Taking a Case to the Court of Appealsnycourts.gov
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