United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

Federal and Local Rules of Appellate Procedure

December 1, 2024

Rule 32.1. Citing Judicial Dispositions

 

(a) Citation Permitted. A court may not prohibit or restrict the citation of federal judicial opinions, orders, judgments or other written dispositions that have been:

 

(i) designated as "unpublished," "not for publication," "non-precedential," "not precedent," or the like; and

(ii) issued on or after January 1, 2007.

 

(b) Copies Required. If a party cites a federal judicial opinion, order, judgment, or other written disposition that is not available in a publicly accessible electronic database, the party must file and serve a copy of that opinion, order, judgment, or disposition with the brief or other paper in which it is cited.

 

 

Local Rule 32.1. Citation of Unpublished Dispositions.

Citation of this Court's unpublished dispositions issued prior to January 1, 2007, in briefs and oral arguments in this Court and in the district courts within this Circuit is disfavored, except for the purpose of establishing res judicata, estoppel, or the law of the case.

If a party believes, nevertheless, that an unpublished disposition of this Court issued prior to January 1, 2007, has precedential value in relation to a material issue in a case and that there is no published opinion that would serve as well, such disposition may be cited if the requirements of FRAP 32.1(b) are met.

 

 

 

Local Rule 32.1 adopted December 1, 2006.