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.

Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure and Ninth Circuit Rules

The rules of this court, effective December 1, 2025, 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 Supreme Court of the United States 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, 2025.

• December 2025 FRAP changes as adopted (PDF)

• December 2024 FRAP changes as adopted (PDF)

• December 2025 Circuit Rule changes as adopted (PDF)

• December 2024 Circuit Rule changes as adopted (PDF)

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

• October 2024 Public comment (PDF)

General Orders

These are the internal operating procedures of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Download the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit’s General Orders

Administrative Orders

These orders state how the court operates with respect to specific topics.

• 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)

Proposed Rules and Amendments

Proposed miscellaneous non-substantive revisions to Circuit Rules