lev-os Notice of Appeal
Drafts a jurisdictional Notice of Appeal that invokes appellate review and preserves the appellant's right to challenge a trial court ruling. The notice contains no substantive arguments — it invokes jurisdiction only.
Quick Start
Gather before drafting:
- Appealable judgment/order — final judgment, FRCP 54(b) partial judgment, 28 U.S.C. § 1292(b) interlocutory order, or collateral order
- Exact docket entry date — date entered on docket (not signed or received)
- Party names — full legal names with trial designations and appellate designations (appellant/appellee)
- Case numbers — trial court number; appellate number if assigned
- Court names — trial court and appellate court
- Filing deadline — confirmed per deadline table below
- Attorney info — name, bar number, firm, address, phone, email
Filing Deadlines
| Context | Deadline | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Federal civil | 30 days from entry | FRAP 4(a)(1)(A) |
| Federal civil (US party) | 60 days from entry | FRAP 4(a)(1)(B) |
| Federal criminal | 14 days from entry | FRAP 4(b)(1)(A) |
| Post-judgment motion pending | 30 or 60 days from disposition, matching party-status deadline | FRAP 4(a)(4)(A), 4(a)(1)(A)-(B) |
| State courts | Varies — confirm rule | [VERIFY] jurisdiction-specific |
Warning: Deadlines are jurisdictional and non-waivable. Confirm before drafting.
Document Template
[APPELLATE COURT NAME]
[PARTY NAME(S)],
Appellant(s) / [Trial Designation],
v. Case No. [Trial Court No.]
Appellate Case No. [if assigned]
[PARTY NAME(S)],
Appellee(s) / [Trial Designation].
NOTICE OF APPEAL
[Appellant name], by and through [undersigned counsel / pro se],
hereby appeals to the [Appellate Court Name] from the
[judgment/order — describe with specificity] entered on
[exact entry date] by the [Trial Court Name] in the
above-captioned matter.
[If multiple orders, list each separately:]
1. [Description of order/judgment] entered [date]
2. [Description of order/judgment] entered [date]
Respectfully submitted,
_______________________________
[Attorney Name] (Bar No. [#])
[Firm Name]
[Address]
[Phone]
[Email]
Counsel for Appellant [Party Name]
Date: [Date]
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I certify that on [date], a copy of this Notice of Appeal was
served on the following by [method of service]:
[Name, Address of each party/counsel served]
_______________________________
[Attorney Name]
Completion Checklist
- Dual caption (trial court + appellate court)
- All party names with trial and appellate designations
- Trial court case number (and appellate number if assigned)
- Specific identification of judgment/order appealed
- Exact docket entry date for each order appealed
- Signature block with bar number and full contact info
- Certificate of service with date, method, and recipients
- Jurisdiction-required attachments (cover sheet, docketing statement)
Common Pitfalls
- Wrong date — use docket entry date, never the signing or receipt date
- Substantive arguments — never include reasons for appeal or assignments of error
- Interlocutory appeals — describe the order specifically enough to distinguish from other rulings
- Service gaps — serve all parties and trial court clerk per local rule
- Format noncompliance — check local rules for margins, font, spacing, e-filing requirements, and cover sheets
- Pro se appellants — include appellant's own address and contact info in signature block
- Multiple appellants — name each; a single notice may cover all if local rule permits