Massachusetts Appeals Court outlines informal-brief pilot for self-represented appellants

The Massachusetts Appeals Court has an Informal Brief Pilot Program to make the appeals process easier for self-represented parties, a court presenter said in an educational video explaining how to prepare an informal brief and an informal record appendix.

The guidance says the program lets defendants and plaintiffs who represent themselves file a simplified “informal brief” instead of a full formal brief under the Massachusetts appellate rules. The informal brief omits some formal-brief sections such as a table of contents and table of authorities but still requires a case history, statement of facts with citations to the record appendix, legal argument with legal citations, a conclusion specifying requested relief, and a certificate of service.

Court staff emphasized eligibility and timing requirements. An appellant (the party filing the appeal) must have a panel-docket appeal (a “P” in the docket number); single-justice appeals (a “J” in the docket number) are not…