IMPORTANT NOTICE - TERMINATION OF RECORD APPENDIX RULE IN THE

COURT OF APPEALS OF GEORGIA

At a Banc Meeting held on October 19, 2011, the judges of the Court of Appeals voted to abolish the Rule for the acceptance of Record Appendices effective at the end of the current term, which is December 16, 2011. No record appendix will be accepted in an appeal by the Court in lieu of the trial court clerk preparing the record for appeal in which a Notice of Appeal was filed after December 16, 2011.

Also, effective December 17, 2011, Rule 17 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals of Georgia will be revised to reflect the Court's decision above. The last sentence of Rule 17 will be deleted so that Rule 17 will read,

Rule 17. Duty of Trial Court Clerks.

The clerk of the trial court shall certify and transmit to the Clerk of this Court the original transcript and copies of all records as required within the time prescribed by statute. Trial court orders included in the record must contain the signature of the trial court judge. Conformed signatures, stamped signatures, and signatures with permission shall not be permitted. Transmittal shall be made by the clerk or deputy clerk personally or by first class United States mail, express mail, or commercial courier or delivery service, charges prepaid. Transmittal by a party or attorney is prohibited.

The Court of Appeals will still consider a Record Appendix properly filed with the Supreme Court of Georgia as an official part of the trial court record for any appeal transferred by the Supreme Court of Georgia to the Court of Appeals.

11/21/2011