Minn. R. Civ. App. P. 128.03

As amended through October 28, 2024

Rule 128.03 - References in Briefs to Record

(a) Portions of Record Contained in Any Party's Addendum. Whenever a reference is made in the briefs to any part of the record that is reproduced in the addendum of any party, the reference shall be made to the specific pages of the addendum where the particular part of the record is reproduced.

(b)Portions of Record Not Contained in Any Party's Addendum. Whenever a reference is made to a part of the record that is not reproduced in the addendum of any party, the reference shall be made to the particular part of the record, suitably designated, and to the specific pages of it.

(c)Document Index Number. Whenever a reference is made to a part of the record, either in a brief or in the table of contents of an addendum, the reference should be made to the particular part of the record using the Document Index Number from the trial court Register of Actions, if available, and to the specific pages of it. Abbreviations that clearly direct the court to particular portions of the record, whether or not designated by a Document Index Number, are acceptable.

Minn. R. Civ. App. P. 128.03

Amended effective 7/1/2014; amended effective 7/1/2016.

Advisory Committee Comment-2016 Amendments

Several developments in appellate practice in Minnesota militate in favor of modification of Rule 128 both to clarify it and make it more useful to litigants. The adoption of system-wide electronic filing makes the use of a uniform means of referencing electronically filed documents both more desirable and more readily accomplished. The abolition of the appendix in the 2014 amendments to these rules has resulted in increased need to refer to specific parts of the record without the convenience of citing to an appendix page, and word-count size limits for briefs may encourage opaque record citations. The establishment of a more uniform form of Register of Actions within the court system has made this index a useful way to identify documents filed with the district courts, and it is appropriate for the appellate courts to require its use.

The Register of Actions is maintained in all actions to identify documents filed with the court. An example of a Register of Actions entry, including the document index number, is:

1/14/2014 Motion for Summary Judgment Index # 50

Citation to page 3 of the motion might be simply "Doc. 50 at 3." If the motion were included in any party's addendum, citation to "Add.38" would suffice.

The rule is intended to provide guidance on how parties may concisely, but unambiguously, cite to the record. Where the transcript is consecutively paginated, no more than "Tr.x" is need to refer to page x of that transcript, and more is only distracting. Where it is necessary to cite to portions of the record not contained in any party's addendum, a similarly concise citation of "Doc. 11 at 21" would steer the reader to page 21 of document 11 in the Register of Actions. Examples of acceptable abbreviations include:

Doc. 11 at 21 (should be used if available)

Transcript at 135, or Tr. 135

Motion for Summary Judgment, filed 10/3/12, at 1

Exhibit 21 at 3, or Ex. 21 at 3

Add.41 or Add. 41

Resp. Add. 22 or R.Add.22

Oct. 1, 2013 Order at 17

Resp. Br. at 34

Similar abbreviations that clearly direct the court to particular portions of the record may be used.