Criminal Appeal Brief - Kentucky

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Cover Page
2. Introduction and Oral Argument
3. Statement of Points and Authorities
4. Statement of the Issues
5. Statement of the Case
6. Statement of Facts
7. Standard of Review
8. Argument
9. Conclusion
10. Certificate of Compliance
11. Certificate of Service
12. Appendix

IN THE [COURT OF APPEALS / SUPREME COURT] OF KENTUCKY

APPELLANT'S BRIEF

Attorney for Appellant:

[________________________________]
Kentucky Bar Association No. [________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________], Kentucky [________________________________]
Telephone: [________________________________]
Email: [________________________________]

INTRODUCTION AND STATEMENT CONCERNING ORAL ARGUMENT

This appeal concerns [BRIEF INTRODUCTION]. Appellant ☐ requests / ☐ does not request oral argument because [WHY ARGUMENT WOULD OR WOULD NOT HELP THE COURT].

STATEMENT OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES

Point 1 — [CONTENTIONS SUPPORTING REVERSAL]: [AUTHORITIES AND BRIEF PAGES]

Point 2 — [CONTENTIONS SUPPORTING REVERSAL]: [AUTHORITIES AND BRIEF PAGES]

Additional point(s): [CONTENTIONS, AUTHORITIES, AND BRIEF PAGES]

Cases

Statutes

Rules

I. STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES

1. Whether the trial court erred in [________________________________].

2. Whether the evidence was sufficient to support the conviction for [________________________________].

3. Whether trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance by [________________________________].

4. [________________________________]

II. STATEMENT OF THE CASE

On or about [__/__/____], an ☐ indictment / ☐ information was returned in the [________________________________] Circuit Court, [________________________________] County, Kentucky, charging Appellant with:

[Summarize significant pretrial proceedings, motions, and rulings.]

[________________________________]

On [__/__/____], the case proceeded to ☐ jury trial / ☐ bench trial / ☐ the defendant entered a plea of ☐ guilty / ☐ Alford plea.

On [__/__/____], the jury returned a verdict of:

[________________________________]

On [__/__/____], the circuit court sentenced Appellant to:

[________________________________]

(VR [__/__/____]; R. [____].)

III. STATEMENT OF FACTS

A. Commonwealth's Case

[________________________________]

(VR [__/__/____], [____].)

B. Defense Case

[________________________________]

(VR [__/__/____], [____].)

IV. STANDARD OF REVIEW

Issue 1: [________________________________]

☐ De novo review applies to questions of law, including statutory interpretation and constitutional questions. (Commonwealth v. Benham, 816 S.W.2d 186 (Ky. 1991).)

☐ Abuse of discretion applies to the trial court's discretionary rulings, including evidentiary matters and sentencing. (Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. v. Thompson, 11 S.W.3d 575 (Ky. 2000).)

☐ Sufficiency of the evidence — the test is whether, after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. (Commonwealth v. Benham, 816 S.W.2d 186 (Ky. 1991).)

☐ Palpable error review (RCr 10.26) applies to unpreserved claims. A palpable error affecting the substantial rights of a party may be considered on appeal, even though insufficiently raised or preserved, if the error results in manifest injustice. (Martin v. Commonwealth, 207 S.W.3d 1 (Ky. 2006).)

Issue 2: [________________________________]

V. ARGUMENT

A. [ISSUE ONE HEADING]

[________________________________]

1. Relevant Proceedings Below

[________________________________]

(VR [__/__/____], [____]; R. [____].)

2. Applicable Legal Principles

[________________________________]

3. Analysis

[________________________________]

4. Prejudice

☐ Under Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18 (1967), the constitutional error was not harmless beyond a reasonable doubt because [________________________________].

☐ Under Kentucky harmless error analysis (RCr 9.24), the error was not harmless because it substantially swayed the verdict. (Winstead v. Commonwealth, 283 S.W.3d 678 (Ky. 2009).)

B. [ISSUE TWO HEADING]

[________________________________]

1. Relevant Proceedings Below

[________________________________]

(VR [__/__/____], [____]; R. [____].)

2. Applicable Legal Principles

[________________________________]

3. Analysis

[________________________________]

4. Prejudice

[________________________________]

C. [ADDITIONAL ISSUES AS NEEDED]

[________________________________]

VI. CONCLUSION

For the foregoing reasons, Appellant respectfully requests that this Court:

☐ Reverse the judgment of conviction.
☐ Reverse and remand for a new trial.
☐ Vacate the sentence and remand for resentencing.
☐ Modify the judgment as follows: [________________________________].
☐ [________________________________]

Respectfully submitted,

Date: [__/__/____]

_________________________________________
[ATTORNEY NAME]
Attorney for Appellant

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

Pursuant to Kentucky Rules of Appellate Procedure 15 and 31(G), I certify that this brief contains [________________________________] words, exclusive of the cover, introduction, statement concerning oral argument, statement of points and authorities, signature block, exhibits, and appendices. For a Court of Appeals opening brief, it does not exceed the 8,750-word limit. [If this brief is filed in the Supreme Court, apply that court's RAP 31(G)(3) limit instead.]

This brief is formatted on 8.5" x 11" paper with no smaller than 12-point font, double-spaced, with 1.5-inch left margin and 1-inch margins on all other edges.

Date: [__/__/____]

_________________________________________
[ATTORNEY NAME]

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, [________________________________], hereby certify that on [__/__/____], I served the foregoing Appellant's Brief on the following parties by the method indicated:

☐ U.S. Mail, first-class, postage prepaid
☐ Electronic filing via eFiled with the Court of Appeals
☐ Hand delivery

_________________________________________
[ATTORNEY NAME]

APPENDIX (RAP 32(E))

STATE-SPECIFIC NOTES FOR KENTUCKY

1. Notice of Appeal Deadline: Generally 30 days from the docket notation of service of the judgment or order, subject to any applicable exception or timely new-trial motion (Ky. RAP 3(A), (E)(1)).

2. Word/Page Limit: A Court of Appeals opening brief may not exceed 8,750 words or 20 pages if computer generated (Ky. RAP 31(G)(2)(a)); the Supreme Court has a separate limit under RAP 31(G)(3). Death-penalty briefs may be extended to 120 pages or 52,500 words on a timely motion showing good cause (RAP 31(G)(4)).

3. Appellant's Brief Due: In a non-expedited criminal appeal, counsel other than the Public Advocate or Attorney General generally files within 60 days after docket notation of record certification; Public Advocate or Attorney General counsel generally files within 60 days after the appellate clerk makes the record available (Ky. RAP 30(C)(1)(a), (D)).

4. Appellee's Brief Due: For counsel other than the Public Advocate or Attorney General, within 60 days after the appellant's brief is filed or the appellate clerk makes the record available, whichever is later (Ky. RAP 30(D)(1), as amended April 1, 2026). For Public Advocate or Attorney General counsel, use RAP 30(D)(2)'s reference to the non-expedited civil response period.

5. Reply Brief Due: Generally within 15 days after the last appellee's response brief is filed, subject to the rule for multiple appellees (Ky. RAP 30(C)(1)(c), (D)).

6. Video Record: Kentucky uses video recording of court proceedings. Record citations should reference the Video Record (VR) by date and time stamp.

7. Statement Concerning Oral Argument: The opening introduction must say whether argument is requested and why it would or would not help (Ky. RAP 32(A)(1)).

8. Palpable Error (RCr 10.26): Unpreserved errors may be reviewed if they affect the substantial rights of a party and result in manifest injustice.

9. Anders Brief: When appointed counsel finds no meritorious issues, counsel must comply with Anders v. California, 386 U.S. 738 (1967).

10. RCr 11.42: Post-conviction claims, including ineffective-assistance-of-counsel claims requiring evidence outside the record, must be raised by motion under Kentucky Rule of Criminal Procedure 11.42.

11. Direct Appeal to Supreme Court: A Circuit Court judgment imposing death, life imprisonment, or imprisonment for 20 years or more is appealed directly to the Supreme Court (Ky. Const. § 110(2)(b); Ky. RAP 2(A)(1)). Select the correct court in the caption.