Criminal appeal: reply brief (20 days after respondent files its brief)

20 days after date the respondent's brief was filed, under Cal. Rules of Court, rule 8.360(c)(3), (c)(4).

Rule text

(c) Time to file (1) The appellant's opening brief must be served and filed within 40 days after the record is filed in the reviewing court. (2) The respondent's brief must be served and filed within 30 days after the appellant's opening brief is filed. (3) The appellant must serve and file a reply brief, if any, within 20 days after the respondent files its brief. (4) The time to serve and file a brief may not be extended by stipulation, but only by order of the presiding justice under rule 8.60.

Cal. Rules of Court, rule 8.360(c)(3), (c)(4), official source

Calculate this deadline

Deadline
Monday, November 30, 2026
  1. Trigger (Date the respondent's brief was filed): Friday, November 6, 2026.
  2. Exclude the trigger day and count 20 calendar days: Thursday, November 26, 2026.
  3. That day is a Thanksgiving Day, so the deadline moves to the next court day: Monday, November 30, 2026 (Cal. Rules of Court, rules 1.10, 8.60(a); Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 12b).
Rules applied
Cal. Rules of Court, rule 8.360(c)(3), (c)(4)
(c) Time to file (1) The appellant's opening brief must be served and filed within 40 days after the record is filed in the reviewing court. (2) The respondent's brief must be served and filed within 30 days after the appellant's opening brief is filed. (3) The appellant must serve and file a reply brief, if any, within 20 days after the respondent files its brief. (4) The time to serve and file a brief may not be extended by stipulation, but only by order of the presiding justice under rule 8.60.
Official source
Cal. Rules of Court, rules 1.10, 8.60(a); Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 12b
CRC 1.10(a): "The time in which any act provided by these rules is to be performed is computed by excluding the first day and including the last, unless the last day is a Saturday, Sunday, or other legal holiday, and then it is also excluded." CRC 1.10(b): "Unless otherwise provided by law, if the last day for the performance of any act that is required by these rules to be performed within a specific period of time falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or other legal holiday, the period is extended to and includes the next day that is not a holiday." CRC 8.60(a): "The Code of Civil Procedure governs computing and extending the time to do any act required or permitted under these rules." CCP 12: "The time in which any act provided by law is to be done is computed by excluding the first day, and including the last, unless the last day is a holiday, and then it is also excluded." CCP 12a(a): "If the last day for the performance of any act provided or required by law to be performed within a specified period of time is a holiday, then that period is hereby extended to and including the next day that is not a holiday. For purposes of this section, “holiday” means all day on Saturdays, all holidays specified in Section 135 and, to the extent provided in Section 12b, all days that by terms of Section 12b are required to be considered as holidays." CCP 12b: "If any city, county, state, or public office, other than a branch office, is closed for the whole of any day, insofar as the business of that office is concerned, that day shall be considered as a holiday for the purposes of computing time under Sections 12 and 12a."
Official source
  • Reply is optional ('if any'). Felony (criminal) appeals in the Court of Appeal (rule 8.360 is in the criminal-appeals chapter; misdemeanor appeals to the appellate division use rule 8.882 instead). NO stipulated extensions: only by order of the presiding justice under rule 8.60 (8.360(c)(4)), unlike civil rule 8.212(b). Filing-triggered, so no service extension. Rule 8.360(c) as amended effective Jan. 1, 2016.
  • If the clerk's office is closed or inaccessible on the last day (weather, emergency or local closure orders), the deadline may be extended. Check local orders.

This calculator applies the cited rules to the dates you enter. It is not legal advice. Court orders, local rules, and case-specific facts can change a deadline; verify before relying on it. Rule set pending attorney review.

Worked example

Date the respondent's brief was filed on Monday, March 15, 2027, personal service: due Monday, April 5, 2027.

  1. Trigger (Date the respondent's brief was filed): Monday, March 15, 2027.
  2. Exclude the trigger day and count 20 calendar days: Sunday, April 4, 2027.
  3. That day is a Sunday, so the deadline moves to the next court day: Monday, April 5, 2027 (Cal. Rules of Court, rules 1.10, 8.60(a); Cal. Code Civ. Proc. 12, 12a, 12b).

Notes

Reply is optional ('if any'). Felony (criminal) appeals in the Court of Appeal (rule 8.360 is in the criminal-appeals chapter; misdemeanor appeals to the appellate division use rule 8.882 instead). NO stipulated extensions: only by order of the presiding justice under rule 8.60 (8.360(c)(4)), unlike civil rule 8.212(b). Filing-triggered, so no service extension. Rule 8.360(c) as amended effective Jan. 1, 2016.

Related deadlines

All California appeals and writs deadlines

Rules current as of 2026-10-23. Confirm against the official source and any local rule or court order before relying on a date. Rules changelog.