Guide
Supreme Court table of authorities rules (2026): Rules 14, 24, 33 and 34
On this page8 sections
The short answer
At the U.S. Supreme Court, a table of cited authorities is required in any merits brief over 1,500 words (Rule 24.1(c)), in a certiorari petition over 1,500 words in booklet format or over five pages on 8½ × 11 paper (Rule 14.1(c)), and in every other document over those same thresholds except a joint appendix (Rule 34.2). Rule 34.2 fixes the content: “cases alphabetically arranged, constitutional provisions, statutes, treatises, and other materials,” with page references, no passim, and page ranges only when the authority is cited on every page in the range. The passim ban dates from the rules effective January 1, 2023; the current Rules were adopted February 17, 2026 and took effect March 16, 2026, and Rule 34.2 was not changed. This page quotes each rule, shows a worked example and answers common questions. General formatting guidance, not legal advice. Last verified: 2026-09-24.
The four rules at a glance
| Rule | Applies to | When a TOA is required | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rule 24.1(c) | Merits brief for petitioner or appellant; Rule 24.2 carries it to respondent or appellee | Brief exceeds 1,500 words | Table of contents and table of cited authorities, in the order Rule 24.1 lists |
| Rule 14.1(c) | Petition for a writ of certiorari | Over 1,500 words (booklet, Rule 33.1) or over five pages (8½ × 11, Rule 33.2) | The table of contents must also list the items in the appendix |
| Rule 33.1 / 33.2 | Format of every filing: booklet or 8½ × 11 | Sets which threshold applies (words or pages) | Tables are excluded from word limits (33.1(d)) and page limits (33.2(b)) |
| Rule 34.2 | Every document except a joint appendix | Over 1,500 words (33.1) or over five pages (33.2) | Category list, page references, no passim, ranges only for consecutive pages |
Rule 24.1(c): merits briefs
Rule 24.1 lists what a merits brief for a petitioner or appellant must contain “in the order here indicated.” Item (a) is the questions presented, item (b) is the list of parties (since March 16, 2026, with stock ticker symbols, if any), and item (c) is the tables. The trigger is 1,500 words. Because the Rule 33.1(g) limit for a principal merits brief is 13,000 words, virtually every merits brief crosses it. Rule 24.2 lets a respondent or appellee leave out items (a), (b), (d), (e), (f) and (g) unless it is dissatisfied with the other side's presentation. Item (c) is not on that list, so the respondent's brief needs its own tables. Rule 24.1 also requires the brief to comply “in all respects with Rules 33.1 and 34,” which brings in Rule 34.2's format rules.
“(c) If the brief exceeds 1,500 words, a table of contents and a table of cited authorities.” (Rules of the Supreme Court of the United States, Rule 24.1(c), effective March 16, 2026)
Rule 14.1(c): certiorari petitions
A petition for a writ of certiorari has a two-part trigger because it can be filed in either format. Rule 14.1(c) requires a table of contents and a table of cited authorities “[i]f the petition prepared under Rule 33.1 exceeds 1,500 words or exceeds five pages if prepared under Rule 33.2.” The rule adds one detail that merits briefs do not have: “The table of contents shall include the items contained in the appendix.” The 2026 revisions changed Rule 14.1(b)(i), which now asks for stock ticker symbols in the list of parties; subparagraph (c) was not changed.
Rule 33.1 booklet vs. Rule 33.2 8½ × 11 filings
Rule 33.1 is the default: a 6⅛ × 9¼ inch booklet, typeset in a Century family 12-point font, with word limits set by the chart in Rule 33.1(g). Rule 33.2 covers documents “expressly permitted” to be filed on 8½ × 11 paper, double spaced, with page limits instead of word limits. The most common Rule 33.2 filers are parties proceeding in forma pauperis: Rule 39.3 says their documents “shall be prepared as required by Rule 33.2” unless a rule expressly calls for Rule 33.1. A pro se, in forma pauperis petition longer than five pages therefore needs both tables, just like a printed one over 1,500 words.
| Item | Booklet (Rule 33.1) | 8½ × 11 paper (Rule 33.2) |
|---|---|---|
| Typical filer | Paid cases; counsel using a printer | In forma pauperis parties (Rule 39.3); other documents the Rules expressly allow |
| Length measured in | Words (chart in Rule 33.1(g)) | Pages (Rule 33.2(b): 40 pages for a petition, 15 for a reply or supplemental brief) |
| TOA required when | Over 1,500 words (Rules 14.1(c), 24.1(c), 34.2) | Over five pages (Rules 14.1(c), 34.2) |
| Do the tables count toward the limit? | No: Rule 33.1(d) excludes the table of contents and table of cited authorities | No: Rule 33.2(b) applies the Rule 33.1(d) exclusions |
| Word-count certificate | Required (Rule 33.1(h)) | Rule 33.1(h) covers booklet documents; Rule 33.2 filings use page limits |
Rule 34.2: the content of the table, verbatim
“2. Every document (other than a joint appendix), that exceeds 1,500 words when prepared under Rule 33.1, or that exceeds five pages when prepared under Rule 33.2, shall contain a table of contents and a table of cited authorities (i. e., cases alphabetically arranged, constitutional provisions, statutes, treatises, and other materials) with references to the pages in the document where such authorities are cited. The table of authorities should not use the ‘passim’ notation, but should instead list every page on which an authority is cited. Page ranges may be used if the authority is cited on every page in the range (e. g., ‘7-10’ instead of ‘7, 8, 9, 10’).”
What Rule 34.2 requires, point by point
- Scope: every document over the threshold, not only briefs. That includes briefs in opposition, replies, amicus briefs and petitions for rehearing. The joint appendix is the only exception.
- Cases alphabetically arranged. This is the only category the rule says must be alphabetical.
- Category order as listed: cases, constitutional provisions, statutes, treatises, other materials. Many briefs add “Rules” or “Regulations” headings; place them consistently.
- Page references are to “the pages in the document,” meaning the brief's own page numbers, not reporter pin cites.
- *No passim.* List every page where the authority is cited.
- Ranges only for consecutive pages. “7-10” is allowed only if the authority is cited on each of pages 7, 8, 9 and 10.
Where the passim sentence came from. The Court published proposed revisions in 2022, and the rules it adopted on December 5, 2022, effective January 1, 2023, added the two sentences on passim and page ranges to Rule 34.2. The Clerk's comment said the amendment “requiring the listing of every page on which an authority is cited is designed to facilitate access to cited material.” (The Clerk's comments are not part of the Rules.) The Court adopted the current Rules on February 17, 2026, effective March 16, 2026. Those revisions targeted conflict checking and electronic filing: stock ticker symbols in Rules 14, 15, 24 and 29.6, and a clarified timely-filing rule in 29.2. Rule 34.2 reads the same as in 2023.
Cover colors (context only)
Rule 33.1(e) and (g) assign a cover color to each booklet document. Colors do not affect the table of authorities, but they are a quick way to identify which brief you are looking at. A selection from the Rule 33.1(g) chart:
| Document | Word limit | Cover |
|---|---|---|
| Petition for a writ of certiorari (Rule 14) | 9,000 | White |
| Brief in opposition (Rule 15.3) | 9,000 | Orange |
| Reply to brief in opposition (Rule 15.6) | 3,000 | Tan |
| Merits brief, petitioner or appellant (Rule 24) | 13,000 | Light blue |
| Merits brief, respondent or appellee (Rule 24.2) | 13,000 | Light red |
| Reply brief on the merits (Rule 24.4) | 6,000 | Yellow |
| Amicus brief at the petition stage (Rule 37.2) | 6,000 | Cream |
| Documents filed by the Solicitor General (Rule 33.1(e)) | n/a | Gray |
A worked example
Here is a table for a hypothetical 30-page merits brief in a felon-in-possession plain-error appeal. The authorities are real; the page numbers are invented to show how Rule 34.2 plays out.
Table of Authorities
| Authority | Page(s) |
|---|---|
| Cases | |
| Greer v. United States, 593 U.S. 503 (2021) | 2, 9-12, 17, 21, 24, 26, 29 |
| Puckett v. United States, 556 U.S. 129 (2009) | 13, 18 |
| Rehaif v. United States, 588 U.S. 225 (2019) | 1, 3-6, 10, 15, 22 |
| United States v. Olano, 507 U.S. 725 (1993) | 12, 14, 19 |
| Constitutional Provisions | |
| U.S. Const. amend. V | 3, 20 |
| Statutes | |
| 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) | 1, 4, 6 |
| 18 U.S.C. § 924(a)(2) | 4 |
| Rules | |
| Fed. R. Crim. P. 52(b) | 2, 12-14 |
Three points. Greer appears on 11 pages. In a court that allows passim, many firms would write passim; here every page is listed. “9-12” is a range because Greer is cited on each of pages 9, 10, 11 and 12; pages 17 and 21 are not consecutive, so they are listed separately. Constitutional provisions follow cases, the order Rule 34.2 names.
BriefAuthority's internal test on two merits briefs
BriefAuthority is in development. In an internal pre-launch test on two U.S. Supreme Court merits briefs, Greer v. United States, No. 19-8709, and Bouarfa v. Mayorkas, No. 23-583, its citation engine found 129 of the 131 cases listed in the briefs' own professionally prepared tables of authorities. Page lists matched exactly for 77–84% of cases before review. Most misses were short references by case name alone (for example, “Rehaif”), which the review screen is built to catch. Statutes and rules have not yet been benchmarked. This is an internal test, not an independent evaluation.
Frequently asked
Does a Supreme Court brief need a table of authorities?
Yes, if it is long enough. Rule 24.1(c) requires one in a merits brief over 1,500 words, and Rule 34.2 requires one in any document over 1,500 words (booklet) or five pages (8½ × 11), except a joint appendix.
Can you use passim in a Supreme Court table of authorities?
No. Rule 34.2 says the table “should not use the ‘passim’ notation, but should instead list every page on which an authority is cited.” The sentence has been in the rule since January 1, 2023.
When can I use a page range like 7-10?
Only if the authority is cited on every page in the range. Rule 34.2's own example is “7-10” instead of “7, 8, 9, 10.”
Do the tables count toward the Supreme Court word limit?
No. Rule 33.1(d) excludes the table of contents and the table of cited authorities from word limits, and Rule 33.2(b) applies the same exclusions to page limits.
Does an in forma pauperis cert petition need a table of authorities?
Yes, if it exceeds five pages. Rule 39.3 puts IFP filings on 8½ × 11 paper under Rule 33.2, and Rule 14.1(c) requires both tables for a Rule 33.2 petition over five pages.
What changed in the 2026 Supreme Court rules?
The Rules adopted February 17, 2026, effective March 16, 2026, added stock ticker symbols to party lists and disclosure statements (Rules 14, 15, 24, 29.6) and clarified electronic filing timeliness (Rule 29.2). Rule 34.2 on tables of authorities did not change.
Last verified: 2026-09-24 against the Rules of the Supreme Court (effective March 16, 2026) on supremecourt.gov. Confirm the current text before filing. This page is general formatting information, not legal advice.
Sources
- Rules of the Supreme Court of the United States (adopted Feb. 17, 2026, effective Mar. 16, 2026), PDFsupremecourt.gov
- Revisions to Rules of the Supreme Court, adopted Feb. 17, 2026, with Clerk's comments, PDFsupremecourt.gov
- Revisions to Rules of the Supreme Court, adopted Dec. 5, 2022, effective Jan. 1, 2023 (Rule 34.2 passim amendment), PDFsupremecourt.gov
- Supreme Court of the United States: Rules and Guidancesupremecourt.gov
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