Rules of Practice and Procedure

Cases in this federal court follow rules set at the national and circuit level. Orders state how the court operates or how it processes cases.

Proposed Rules and Amendments

Proposed miscellaneous non-substantive revisions to Circuit Rules

Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure

The rules of this court, effective December 1, 2024, are laid out in a handbook that contains:

1. The Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure (FRAP)

2. The Ninth Circuit Rules

3. Circuit Advisory Committee Notes, which follow certain rules

Download the Rules Handbook

DOWNLOAD PDF

Latest Rule Changes

Each year, the U.S. Supreme Court proposes changes to the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure. A committee of Ninth Circuit judges and lawyers propose changes to this court’s local rules.

The following changes were adopted on December 1, 2024.

• December 2024 FRAP changes as adopted (PDF)

• October 2024 Public comment (PDF)

• December 2024 Circuit Rule changes as adopted (PDF)

• December 2024 New 26.1-1 Disclosure Statement Circuit Rule changes as adopted (PDF)

Administrative Orders

These orders state how this court operates.

• June 16, 2023 Appellate Case Management System (PDF)

• September 20, 2022 Prisoner e-filing (PDF)

• May 24, 2021 Name Change (PDF)

• January 16, 2021 Highly Sensitive Documents (HSDs) (PDF)

• February 1, 2019 Establishing the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Unit (PDF)

• January 24, 2019 Suspending Deadlines for Paper Copies (PDF)

General Orders

These orders apply to how this court processes cases.

Download the Ninth Circuit Court’s General Orders