What Are Costs on Appeal in Federal Court?

It costs money to print paper copies of briefs. Are those costs recoverable in a Federal Appeal?

When the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal decides an appeal, the case is not quite over. In addition to making the determination of whether to seek rehearing or rehearing en banc, the winning party should also be ready to deal with filing a bill of costs, in addition to considering whether the party is entitled to an award of attorney’s fees (which we’ll cover in another blog post). What are those costs and when are they owed?

When is a Party Entitled to an Award of Appellate Costs?

Under Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 39, costs are automatically taxed against the losing party if the judgment is affirmed or reversed in full and the Court does not rule otherwise. If there is a partial victory, costs are only taxed as the Court orders. So in most cases, one party is going to end up paying the other party’s costs.

When Must the Party Entitled to Costs File the Bill of Costs?

A bill of costs is due to the appellate Court no later than the later of 14 days from the Court’s opinion issuing, or 14 days from the date the Court rules on a timely post-opinion motion for rehearing or rehearing en banc. Fed. R. App. P. 39(d). The bill of costs be itemized, verified, and include receipts if copies were made by an outside vendor.

What Types of Costs Are Appellate Taxable Costs?

While a party may have paid other kinds of costs to their counsel or vendors on appeal, only the costs specifically set out in the rules are taxable on appeal. There are two categories of costs: Those awarded by the appellate court, and those awarded by the trial court.

Which Costs Are Awarded by the Appellate Court?

As to the appellate court, the party against whom costs have been taxed must both pay the court’s docketing fee, and the costs the other side incurred making paper copies of documents that are required to be submitted to the Court.

Specifically, the rules provide that the appellate court shall award costs of “producing necessary copies of a brief or appendix, or copies of records authorized by Rule 30(f).” FRAP 39(c). How many copies that is depends on which Court you are in. The default rule under the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure require service of 10 copies of the Appendix on the Court, along with one copy to each separately represented party, Fed. R. App. P. 30(3), in addition to providing the court with 25 paper copies of each brief and serving two paper copies on each separately represented party. Fed. R> App. P. 31(b). But appellate courts are expressly invited to set their own rules on the number of copies, and the Eleventh Circuit has thankfully reduced the number of trees that become recoverable costs.

In the Eleventh Circuit, a represented party likely filed 2 copies of the appendix, see 11th Cir. Rule 30-1(d). If the case was set for oral argument, the party probably filed three additional copies of the appendix, so the count goes up to 5. Id. It also includes “[o]ne originally signed brief and six copies (total of seven)” copies filed with the Court, along with a paper copy to each party separately represented. 11th Cir. R. 31-3. Count the number of

How Do You Calculate the Costs Awarded by the Appellate Court?

The appellate docketing fee is authorized by statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1913, and is set by the administrative office of the U.S. Courts. Effective December 1, 2020, that docketing fee was set at a flat $500 fee.

The cost of the copies is calculated by multiplying the number of pages required to be filed by a per-page fee that is the greater of the actual costs incurred, or the maximum per-page cost set by each Court of Appeals, which shall reflect local costs and “should encourage economical methods of copying.” Fed. R. App. P. 39(c). In the Eleventh Circuit, that per page figure is currently set at 15 cents per in-house copy, and a max of 25 cents per commercial reproduction, when also supported by receipts showing your actual expenditure. The Eleventh Circuit also has a specific fillable form it expects parties to use as the bill of costs [.pdf]. These costs are generally included in the mandate by the Clerk of Court.

What Costs Are Awardable in the Trial Court?

There are a few other costs specifically taxable by filing an appropriate motion with the trial court, but they usually only apply if the Appellant (the party that lost before the trial court) wins on appeal. Those costs are:
(1) the preparation and transmission of the record;
(2) the reporter’s transcript, if needed to determine the appeal;
(3) premiums paid for a bond or other security to preserve rights pending appeal; and
(4) the fee for filing the notice of appeal.

Generally, the appellate court affirms the trial court’s judgment, there is no basis to request these fees, because they weren’t paid by the Appellee. Still, if you win as an appellant, don’t forget to keep an eye on these fees, which can add up! You will be required to provide supporting documentation (such as receipts) so be sure to keep those as you make the payments.

How Do You Collect Costs Awarded?

In the Eleventh Circuit, parties are required to mail the costs awarded to the other side directly, without further action by the Court.

Hurricane Dorian approaching Florida

How Does a Hurricane Affect Court Deadlines? (Dorian Edition)

Hurricane Dorian approaching Florida

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) image of Hurricane Dorian taken Sunday, Sept. 1, 2019, at 17:00 UTC.

Even though we currently have sunny skies, many courts in Florida are closed today due to the threat of Hurricane Dorian (Specifically, the Second and Third Districts are closed today, and the Fourth and Fifth Districts are closed today and tomorrow, with the First and Florida Supreme Court still open as of this writing. How does that affect court deadlines? The short answer: In Florida state courts, you won’t know until the storm is over, so don’t count on a deadline moving. And in Federal Court, the courthouse being closed does not mean you can’t file, so your best bet is to meet any deadline today. Here’s the rules-geek long answer:

Deadlines in Florida State Courts

An emergency closure does not count as a “Court Holiday” under Florida Rules of Judicial Administration Rule 2.514(a)(6)(B) — the Courts are not calling it a “holiday,” and doing so probably has personnel implications that Court administration doesn’t want to deal with. However, the Florida Supreme Court generally issues administrative orders extending deadlines in the affected counties. Right now, the Florida Supreme Court’s emergency page states:

After a storm, orders will be issued by the Chief Justice retroactively extending deadlines in storm-damaged areas. Attorneys and others who missed legal deadlines or hearing dates in areas hard-hit by a hurricane will be protected by these orders, which will be issued once the courts in these areas reopen. They will be posted on our Administrative Orders page when issued.

(This from the Florida Supreme Court Emergency Page as of noon on September 3, 2019). As of this writing, there are no such orders in place, since the threat is not yet over. Check the Court’s administrative orders emergency page for updates. But also, we have not actually been hit so far, so I would be concerned that the Court is not going to ultimately extend deadlines for all. Even with Courts closed, meet all deadlines today, or timely seek extensions. The Florida appellate courts, in particular, are generous with timely-requested enlargements, so don’t hesitate to ask the Court for them.

But what about deadlines that are not normally allowed to be extended? Rule 1.090 states that, even for good cause, a Court:

may not extend the time for making a motion for new trial, for rehearing, or
to alter or amend a judgment; making a motion for relief from a judgment under
rule 1.540(b); taking an appeal or filing a petition for certiorari; or making a
motion for a directed verdict.

We did this analysis for Hurricane Matthew, so check out our prior post on that one.

Deadlines in Federal Courts

The Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure state that when calculating deadlines computed as days:

if the period would end on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the period continues to run until the same time on the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 26(a)(2)(C). The Federal rules have an additional helpful provision expressly addressing “Inaccessibility” of the Clerk’s Office:

(3) Inaccessibility of the Clerk’s Office. Unless the court orders otherwise, if the clerk’s
office is inaccessible:
(A) on the last day for filing under Rule 26(a)(1), then the time for filing is extended
to the first accessible day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday; or

Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 26(a)(3). But remember, a closure of the physical building does not make the clerk’s office inaccessible. For example, the Middle District of Florida website currently states:

UPDATE: 7:45 p.m. | Monday, September 2, 2019

On Tuesday, September 3, 2019, the Jacksonville, Ocala, and Orlando divisions are closed, and the Fort Myers and Tampa divisions are open.

On Wednesday, September 4, 2019, the Jacksonville division is closed, and the Fort Myers, Ocala, Orlando, and Tampa divisions are open.

CM/ECF remains available. The website will be updated if additional closures are required.

And the Eleventh Circuit does not even mention the hurricane on its website as of this writing, but since all filings are supposed to be made through ECF or through Atlanta, any “inaccessibility” argument won’t get very far.

Requesting Extensions After the Fact

Remember that if you miss a deadline in most courts, you have a higher burden to prove entitlement to the extension. Both state and federal courts are going to require a showing of good cause and excusable neglect. So meet your filing deadlines today, or at the very least get extension request on file before the deadline passes.

Is Memorial Day, May 27, a Court Holiday? (2019 edition)

Memorial Day–May 27, 2019–is a day that we remember and honor those that have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.  You probably already suspect that it is a court holiday, too

Navy Sailors and women in dress and large hats pose with flowers on a ship.

Memorial Day in 1918, just over a century ago.

But if you’re anything like us, you want–nigh, you NEED–to see it in writing from an authoritative source and you’ll probably be checking court websites at 11 p.m. on Sunday night to be sure.  Let us help.

The short answer is YES in Florida state courts.  Here’s the authority.

In Florida state courts, Memorial Day is one of the enumerated “Legal Holidays” in Florida Rule of Judicial Procedure 2.514(a)(6)(A) (.pdf) (defining “Legal Holiday”).

Additionally, every court lists Memorial Day on their own calendars:

Florida Appellate Courts

Florida Circuit Courts

Are you in federal court? You get the day off, too.

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This post is a continuation of our “Is it a holiday” series:

https://floridaappellate.com/2019/04/18/is-good-friday-a-court-holiday-2019-edition/

https://floridaappellate.com/2014/04/18/is-good-friday-a-holiday-it-depends/

https://floridaappellate.com/2015/01/19/is-martin-luther-king-day-a-holiday-in-florida-courts/

If you want to get updates on court holidays and other appellate happenings, subscribe to this blog under the “FLORIDA APPELLATE PROCEDURE UPDATES BY EMAIL” on this page.