Opinion ID: 1122542
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Limiting the Size of Defendant's Brief

Text: In this case, after defendant requested permission to file a tendered 286-page opening brief, we allowed him to file a 150-page brief and a 65-page reply. We also granted defendant eight extensions of time on his opening brief and two more extensions on his reply brief. Notwithstanding these concessions departing from the rules, see Ariz.R.Crim.P. 31.13(f), defendant argues that, by limiting the length of his brief, this court violated his right to due process. We have rejected this argument before. See State v. Cruz, 175 Ariz. 395, 400-401, 857 P.2d 1249, 1254-1255 (1993); State v. Atwood, 171 Ariz. 576, 658-59, 832 P.2d 593, 675-76 (1992), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 113 S.Ct. 1058, 122 L.Ed.2d 364 (1993); State v. Amaya-Ruiz, 166 Ariz. 152, 182-83, 800 P.2d 1260, 1290-91 (1990), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 111 S.Ct. 2044, 114 L.Ed.2d 129 (1991). We do so again. While this case was pending, the court amended Rule 31.13(f) to permit oversize briefs in capital cases, as well as to provide extra time to file them. If typed, as the briefs in this case are, opening briefs of up to 80 pages per side are permitted, and the appellant gets up to 40 more pages to reply. The briefs in this case could easily have been filed within the parameters of the amended rules, which provide ample opportunity for effective representation. Indeed, had the briefs in this case been edited to shorten them, they would have been much better. Winnowing of issues and argument is essential to good appellate advocacy. Here the kitchen sink approach has again been used. Many issues presented were not raised in the trial court. Other issues raised have been repeatedly and recently decided adversely to defendant. If preservation is sought to avoid issue preclusion, brevity should be employed. Many of defendant's issues are patently frivolous. Excessively long briefs confer no benefit on defendants, unless bulk and congestion for delay's sake is considered a benefit. The most effective briefs this court receives, including those in death penalty cases, all comply with the liberal page limitations of the rules. Only a few offices in the state chronically abuse the rules in death penalty cases. Most have no trouble providing effective representation while filing sensibly sized briefs. Barring an advance showing of the most extraordinary circumstances, this court is committed, in all future cases, to enforcing the page limitations set by the rules.