Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 809 - Rules of appellate procedure.
809.81 - Rule (Form of papers).

809.81 Rule (Form of papers). The format of a document filed in the court must conform to the following requirements unless expressly provided otherwise in these rules:
(1) Size. Formatted to fit 8.5 by 11 inch paper.
(3) Style. Produced using either a monospaced or a proportional serif font. If handwriting is used, the text must be legibly printed and not include cursive writing, except the person's signature.
(4) Spacing and margins. Double-spaced with a minimum of a 1.25-inch margin on the right and left sides, and a minimum of a 1-inch margin on the top and bottom.
(5) Pagination. Paginated at the center of the bottom margin using Arabic numerals with sequential numbering starting at “1" on the first page.
(6) Appearance. Any process that produces a clear, black image on a white background. Carbon copies may not be filed. Imaged documents should be scanned at a resolution sufficient to ensure legibility.
(7) Binding. Pages must be secured together at the top left corner.
(8) Confidentiality. Every notice of appeal or other document that is filed in the court and that is required by law to be confidential shall refer to individuals only by one or more initials or other appropriate pseudonym or designation.
(9) Captions. Except as provided in s. 809.81 (8) or when “petitioner" has been substituted for an individual's name in the caption in an appeal from a domestic abuse protective order or harassment injunction, or when the clerk has given notice of a different caption, the caption of any document shall include the full name of each party in the circuit court and shall designate each party so as to identify each party's status in the circuit court and in the appellate court, if any. In the supreme court, “petitioner" shall be added to the designation of a party filing a petition for review. The designation of a party responding to a petition for review shall remain the same as in the court of appeals.
History: Sup. Ct. Order, 83 Wis. 2d xiii (1978); Sup. Ct. Order, 104 Wis. 2d xi (1981); Sup. Ct. Order No. 93-18, 179 Wis. 2d xxi (1993); Sup. Ct. Order No. 93-20, 179 Wis. 2d xxv (1993); Sup. Ct. Order No. 00-02, 2001 WI 39, 242 Wis. 2d xxvii; Sup. Ct. Order No. 02-01, 2002 WI 120, 255 Wis. 2d xiii; Sup. Ct. Order No. 14-01, 2015 WI 21, filed 3-2-15, eff. 7-1-15; Sup. Ct. Order No. 20-07, 2021 WI 37, filed 4-23-21, eff. 7-1-21.
Judicial Council Committee's Note, 1978: The 8-1/2 x 11 letter size paper is adopted as the standard size for all papers to be filed in the Court of Appeals in place of using both 8-1/2 x 14 and 8-1/2 by 11. A standard size paper simplifies records management. There is a national trend away from legal size paper. [Re Order effective July 1, 1978]
Judicial Council Committee's Note, 1981: Sub. (2) is amended to clarify that an original must be filed with the 4 copies in the court of appeals or with the 8 copies in the supreme court. [Re Order effective Jan. 1, 1982]
Judicial Council Note, 2001: Subsection (2) was amended to eliminate the distinction between “original" and “copy," because current technology produces copies of quality as good as the original. Subsection (8) requires that only the first name and last initial be used in all documents in confidential cases. [Re Order No. 00-02 effective July 1, 2001]
Judicial Council Note, 2002: Subsection (9) is created to clarify that the same caption should be used on all documents filed in an appellate case, and specifies that caption. Captions on pleadings and other documents filed pursuant to this rule are consistent with the current s. 809.19 (9) requirement governing captions on briefs. [Re Order No. 02-01 effective January 1, 2003]

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