"Practice Direction on the Length of Briefs and Motions"

5 March 2002

INTRODUCTION

In accordance with the Rules of Procedure and Evidence of the International Tribunal ("the Rules"), I issue this Practice Direction in order to establish a limit on the length of written briefs and motions at trial and on appeal.

I. PAPER SIZE AND FORMAT

Briefs and motions will be submitted on A4 paper. Margins will be at least 2.5 centimetres on all four sides. All filings will be paginated, excluding the cover sheet.

II. TYPEFACE

The typeface will be 12 point with 1.5 line spacing. An average page should contain fewer than 300 words.

III. LENGTH

1. Merits appeals

(a) The brief of an appellant on appeal from a final judgement of a Trial Chamber will not exceed 100 pages or 30,000 words, whichever is greater:

(i) provided that, where the Prosecutor, as appellant, files a separate brief in respect of each appellee or a consolidated brief, the total number of pages filed shall not exceed 100 or 30,000 words, whichever is the greater, in respect of one appellee and a further 35 pages or 10,000 words, whichever is the greater, in respect of each additional appellee;
(ii) and provided that the time-limit for filing such a consolidated brief shall run from the filing date of the last notice of appeal.

(b) The response of an appellee on an appeal from a final judgement of a Trial Chamber will not exceed 100 pages or 30,000 words, whichever is greater, subject to the proviso in (a)(i) applying mutatis mutandis to any brief in response filed by the Prosecutor, and provided that, the time-limit for filing a consolidated brief in response shall run from the filing date of the last appellant's brief.
(c) The reply brief of an appellant in an appeal from a final judgement of a Trial Chamber will not exceed 30 pages or 9,000 words, whichever is greater:

(i) provided that, where the Prosecutor files a reply brief in respect of more than one appellee, either by filing a separate brief in respect of each appellee or a consolidated brief, the total number of pages shall not exceed 30 pages or 9,000 words, whichever is the greater, in respect of one appellee and a further 10 pages or 3,000 words, whichever is the greater, in respect of each additional appellee;
(ii) and provided that the time-limit for filing such a consolidated reply brief shall run from the filing date of the last appellee's response.

2. Interlocutory appeals

(a) Leave to appeal

(i) The motion of a party seeking leave to pursue an interlocutory appeal under Rule 72 or 73 will not exceed 15 pages or 4,500 words, whichever is greater.
(ii) The response to a motion for leave to appeal will not exceed 15 pages or 4,500 words, whichever is greater.
(iii) The reply to such a response will not exceed 7 pages or 2,100 words, whichever is greater.

(b) Merits of interlocutory appeal

(i) The brief of an appellant in an interlocutory appeal will not exceed 30 pages or 9,000 words, whichever is greater.
(ii) The brief of an appellee in an interlocutory appeal will not exceed 30 pages or 9,000 words, whichever is greater.
(iii) The reply brief of an appellant in an interlocutory appeal will not exceed 10 pages or 3,000 words, whichever is greater.

3. Pre-trial briefs

The pre-trial briefs will not exceed 50 pages or 15,000 words, whichever is greater.

4. Final trial briefs

The final trial briefs will not exceed 200 pages or 60,000 words, whichever is greater.

5. Other motions, replies, and responses

Motions and replies and responses before a Chamber will not exceed 10 pages or 3,000 words, whichever is greater.

6. Materials excluded from page and word limits

Headings, footnotes and quotations count towards the above word and page limitations. Any addendum containing verbatim quotations of the International Tribunal's Statute or Rules does not count towards the page limit. Any appendix or book of authorities does not count towards the page limit. An appendix or book of authorities will not contain legal or factual arguments, but rather references, source materials, items from the record, exhibits, and other relevant, non-argumentative material. An appendix will be of reasonable length, which is normally three times the page limit for that class of motion or brief (e.g., for a brief that is limited to 30 pages by the above practice direction, the appendix should be limited to 90 pages), although it is understood that the length of appendices will naturally vary more than the length of briefs.

7. Variation from page limits

A party must seek authorisation in advance from the Chamber to exceed the page limits in this Practice Direction and must provide an explanation of the exceptional circumstances that necessitate the oversized filing.