A table of authorities organizes citations by category, cases, statutes, rules, and secondary sources, with page references. It follows the table of contents in briefs exceeding a defined length.
Many courts require one by local rule.
Alternative Names:
TOA, Authorities Table
Why it Matters?
The table is a verification opportunity as much as a formatting requirement, since compiling it surfaces citations appearing only once and buried in string cites that may not have been checked. In an era of citation fabrication sanctions, generating the table and confirming each entry is a practical control that costs little. Local rules typically specify when a table is required and in what format.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
When is a table of authorities required?
How does it support citation verification?
