The Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure (FRAP) are a set of rules, originally adopted in 1967 and amended regularly since then, promulgated by the Supreme Court of the United States on recommendation of an advisory committee, to govern procedures in cases under appeal in the United States Courts of Appeals.
Since most argument in appellate court centers around written briefs prepared by the litigating parties, the Rules govern how these briefs can be presented. Few jurisdictions allow for oral argument. Where allowed, oral argument is intended to clarify legal issues presented in the briefs and is ordinarily subject to a time limit.
In addition to these rules, procedure in the Courts of Appeals is governed by applicable statutes (particularly Title 28 of the United States Code) and by local rules adopted by each individual court. Many of these local rules incorporate Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure by reference.
Federal appellate courts are governed by the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure. State appellate courts are governed by their own state rules of appellate procedure.
