Rule Text
(a) Designation of the Parties in Cross-Appeals. If a cross-appeal is filed, for the purposes of this chapter (briefs and reproduced record) and Chapter 23 (sessions and argument), the plaintiff or moving party in the trial court or other government unit shall be designated the appellant and any remaining party shall be designated the appellee, unless other designations are made by:
(1) order of the appellate court; or
(2) agreement of the parties, who shall promptly notify the prothonotary of the appellate court of the parties’ designations.
(b) Scope and Sequence of Briefs. In accordance with the briefing schedule, the scope and sequence of briefs shall be as follows:
(1) First Brief—Designated Appellant’s Brief on the Merits of the Appeal. The designated appellant shall file a brief addressing the merits of the appeal in accordance with Pa.R.A.P. 2111.
(2) Second Brief—Designated Appellee’s Brief in Response to the Appeal and on the Merits of the Cross-Appeal. The designated appellee shall file a response to the designated appellant’s arguments in the designated appellant’s brief on the appeal in accordance with Pa.R.A.P. 2112. In the same brief, the designated appellee shall argue the merits of its cross-appeal in accordance with Pa.R.A.P. 2111.
(3) Third Brief—Designated Appellant’s Response to Cross-Appeal and Reply Brief in Support of Appeal. The designated appellant shall file a response to the designated appellee’s arguments in the designated appellee’s brief on the merits of the cross-appeal in accordance with Pa.R.A.P. 2112. If the designated appellant files a reply in support of the appeal, it shall be included in the same brief and in accordance with Pa.R.A.P. 2113.
(4) Fourth Brief—Designated Appellee’s Reply Brief. If the designated appellee files a reply to the designated appellant’s response, the reply brief shall be filed in accordance with Pa.R.A.P. 2113.
Amendment history: The provisions of this Rule 2136 amended December 30, 1987, effective January 16, 1988 and shall govern all matters thereafter commenced and, insofar as just and practicable, matters then pending, 18 Pa.B. 245; amended July 7, 1997, effective in 60 days, 27 Pa.B. 3503; amended October 18, 2002, effective December 2, 2002, 32 Pa.B. 5402; amended July 18, 2024, effective January 1, 2025, 54 Pa.B. 4426. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (376317) to (376318).
Plain-English Summary (for reference only — not a substitute for the rule text above)
This summary is not the rule. The rule text controls.
When both sides appeal a court decision, this rule sets up who gets called what and what order they file their legal arguments (called briefs). The person who was the plaintiff or the one who first brought the case to the lower court is called the "appellant." Everyone else is called the "appellee." The parties can agree to use different labels, but they have to let the court clerk know right away.
The briefs go back and forth in four rounds. First, the appellant files a brief making their arguments. Then the appellee files one brief that both responds to the appellant's arguments AND makes their own arguments for their cross-appeal. After that, the appellant files a brief responding to the cross-appeal and can also add a reply defending their original arguments. Finally, the appellee can file a last brief to respond to anything new the appellant raised.
This back-and-forth order keeps things organized when both sides are appealing the same decision. Each party gets a fair chance to respond to the other side's arguments without the process getting out of control.
Committee Notes
Pa.R.A.P. 2136 provides both a method for determining which party shall file the first brief and the sequence for filing those briefs. Subdivision (a) specifies that the party initiating the action in either the trial court or other government unit is the designated appellant, unless the appellate court otherwise orders or the parties otherwise agree.
If the parties have agreed to a designation of appellant and appellee, they shall inform the prothonotary of the appellate court of the agreed-upon designations at the earliest opportunity. An agreement of the parties to designate a different appellant or appellee does not toll the time for filing a party brief. Following an agreement to designate a different appellant or appellee, each party maintains the obligation to file briefs pursuant to the schedule set by the appellate court.
Subdivision (b) addresses the sequence of briefs. A designated appellant may file up to two briefs, as described in subdivisions (b)(1) and (b)(3). A designated appellee may file up to two briefs, as described in subdivisions (b)(2) and (b)(4).
See Pa.R.A.P. 2111, 2112, and 2113 for the scope and content of briefs filed pursuant to subdivision (b).
Pa.R.A.P. 2135 (length of briefs) establishes the length of the various briefs. Only the brief filed by the designated appellee pursuant to subdivision (b)(4) is considered a reply brief subject to lower page and word limitations. All other briefs are subject to usual page and word limitations.
Pa.R.A.P. 2185(a) (time for serving and filing briefs) provides that the brief by the designated appellant pursuant to subdivision (b)(3) shall be served within 30 days after service of the brief filed by the designated appellee pursuant to subdivision (b)(2). The designated appellee’s brief filed pursuant to subdivision (b)(4) is due 14 days following the filing of the designated appellant’s brief pursuant to subdivision (b)(3).
Pa.R.A.P. 2322 (cross-appeals and separate appeals) addresses oral argument in cross-appeals.
Historical Commentary
The following commentary is historical in nature and represents statements of the Committee at the time of rulemaking:
Explanatory Comment—2002
See Comment following Pa.R.A.P., Rule 511.
