Are there particular requirements to format of the appelate briefs by different district courts vs rule 8.204 contents

Question

Contents of appellate brief is defined by rule 8.204:  
(a) 2) An appellant's opening brief must: 
 
(A) State the nature of the action, the relief sought in the trial court, and the judgment or order appealed from; 
 
(B) State that the judgment appealed from is final, or explain why the order appealed from is appealable; and 
 
C) Provide a summary of the significant facts limited to matters in the record.

Samples of templates from different courts present various sections that may be overlapping: statement of case, statement of facts. 
Are those required, or only rule 8.204 must be followed contents-wise, with formatting requirements of course.

James L. Arrasmith · Answer

The California Rules of Court establish Rule 8.204 as the foundational requirement for appellate brief contents, setting the minimum standards that must be included. These core requirements ensure your brief addresses the nature of the action, relief sought, appealability, and key facts from the record. 
 
While individual district courts may have their own formatting requirements and preferred organization, they cannot override or eliminate the basic content elements mandated by Rule 8.204. The sections you mentioned - statement of case and statement of facts - are common organizational tools that help present the Rule 8.204 requirements in a clear, logical manner, but the specific section titles and organization can vary as long as all required content is included. 
 
Your safest approach is to first ensure your brief contains everything required by Rule 8.204, then verify the specific formatting requirements (like page limits, font size, margins) for your district court, and finally organize the content in a way that best serves your argument while meeting both sets of requirements. Many courts provide sample templates as helpful guides, but remember these are suggestions for effective organization rather than mandatory section structures - what matters most is including all Rule 8.204 elements while following your court's formatting rules.

Q: Are there particular requirements to format of the appelate briefs by different district courts vs rule 8.204 contents