Criminal Appeal Brief - Montana

CRIMINAL APPEAL BRIEF

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA

Case No. DA [____]-[________]

APPEAL FROM THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE [________] JUDICIAL DISTRICT
IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF [________________]
CAUSE NO. [________________]
HONORABLE [JUDGE NAME], PRESIDING

OPENING BRIEF OF DEFENDANT-APPELLANT

Submitted by:

[ATTORNEY NAME], MT Bar No. [________]
[FIRM NAME]
[ADDRESS]
[CITY], Montana [ZIP]
Telephone: [________________]
Email: [________________]
Fax: [________________]

Attorney for Defendant-Appellant

Counsel for State of Montana, Plaintiff-Appellee:

[APPELLEE COUNSEL NAME]
[OFFICE]
[MAILING ADDRESS]
[CITY], Montana [ZIP]
Telephone: [________________]
Fax: [________________]
Email (if any): [________________]

Additional appellee counsel (if any):

[ADDITIONAL COUNSEL NAME AND OFFICE]
[MAILING ADDRESS]
[CITY], [STATE] [ZIP]
Telephone: [________________]
Fax: [________________]
Email (if any): [________________]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF AUTHORITIES

Cases

Statutes

Constitutional Provisions

STATEMENT OF ISSUES PRESENTED FOR REVIEW

Issue 1: [________________________________]

Issue 2: [________________________________]

Issue 3: [________________________________]

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

The defendant, [DEFENDANT NAME], was charged by [information / indictment] with [OFFENSE(S)] in violation of Mont. Code Ann. § [SECTION(S)] in the [JUDICIAL DISTRICT] Judicial District Court, [COUNTY] County.

On [DATE], [a jury / the court] convicted the defendant of [CHARGE(S)]. (Doc. [__], p. [__])

On [DATE], the District Court sentenced the defendant to [SENTENCE] [with/to the Montana State Prison / Montana Department of Corrections]. (Doc. [__], p. [__])

A notice of appeal was filed on [DATE], following entry of the written judgment on [DATE]. M.R. App. P. 4(5)(b)(i). (Doc. [__], p. [__])

STATEMENT OF FACTS

[Relevant facts with specific record-page citations: ________________________________]

STANDARD OF REVIEW

[Standard of review and supporting authority for each issue: ________________________________]

SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT

[Succinct summary of the arguments below: ________________________________]

ARGUMENT

I. [ISSUE HEADING]

[Argument, legal authority, and specific record-page citations: ________________________________]

II. [ISSUE HEADING]

[________________________________]

III. [ISSUE HEADING]

[________________________________]

CONCLUSION

WHEREFORE, [Appellant] respectfully requests that this Court:

☐ Reverse the judgment of conviction and remand for a new trial

☐ Reverse the conviction and order entry of a judgment of acquittal

☐ Vacate the sentence and remand for resentencing

☐ [Other specific relief: ________________________________]

Respectfully submitted,

___________________________________________
[ATTORNEY NAME], MT Bar No. [________]
[FIRM NAME]
[ADDRESS]
[CITY], Montana [ZIP]
Telephone: [________________]
Email: [________________]

Attorney for Defendant-Appellant

Date: [__/__/____]

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

I hereby certify that this brief complies with M.R. App. P. 11. It uses [LINE SPACING] line spacing and a proportionately spaced [TYPEFACE] typeface of [POINT SIZE] points (at least 14 points). It contains [NUMBER] words, excluding the table of contents, table of authorities, certificate of service, certificate of compliance, and appendix.

___________________________________________
[ATTORNEY NAME]

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on [DATE], I served a true and correct copy of the foregoing Opening Brief upon the following by [electronic filing / U.S. Mail / hand delivery]:

[OPPOSING COUNSEL NAME]
[OFFICE / FIRM]
[ADDRESS]
[CITY], Montana [ZIP]

___________________________________________
[ATTORNEY NAME]

APPENDIX

Attach an appendix with a table of contents and plain paper tabs containing the relevant materials under M.R. App. P. 12(1)(i):

☐ Judgment and Sentence (Doc. [__])

☐ Written Decision / Rationale of the District Court

☐ Relevant Orders (Doc. [__])

☐ Jury Instructions at Issue

☐ Relevant transcript pages, including any oral ruling in support of the decision (Tr. [__])

MONTANA-SPECIFIC NOTES

• Appealable order: A defendant may appeal a final judgment of conviction or an order after judgment affecting the defendant's substantial rights. Mont. Code Ann. § 46-20-104(1).
• Time to Appeal: An appeal from a judgment entered under § 46-18-116 must be taken within 60 days after entry of judgment. M.R. App. P. 4(5)(b)(i).
• Word Limits: Principal briefs: 10,000 words; reply/amicus briefs: 5,000 words. M.R. App. P. 11.
• Issue Limitation: Parties are encouraged to limit issues to 4 or fewer. M.R. App. P. 12(1)(b).