(a) Summary Affirmance. After service of the initial brief in appeals under rule 9.110, 9.130, or 9.140, or after service of the answer brief if a cross-appeal has been filed, the court may summarily affirm the order to be reviewed if the court finds that no preliminary basis for reversal has been demonstrated.
(b) Summary Reversal. After service of the answer brief in appeals under rule 9.110, 9.130, or 9.140, or after service of the reply brief if a cross-appeal has been filed, the court may summarily reverse the order to be reviewed if the court finds that no meritorious basis exists for affirmance and the order otherwise is subject to reversal.
(c) Motions Not Permitted. This rule may be invoked only on the court’s own motion. A party may not request summary disposition.
A Shortcut for Obvious Cases: This rule gives the appellate court a tool to decide an appeal quickly, without the need for full briefing or oral argument, when the outcome is clear from the start.
(a) Summary Affirmance: The court can quickly affirm (uphold) the trial court's decision right after the appellant files their first brief. This happens if the brief is so weak that it shows no legitimate reason why the trial court's decision should be reversed.
(b) Summary Reversal: The court can quickly reverse the trial court's decision after the appellee has filed their answer brief. This happens if the appellee's arguments are so weak that they provide no valid reason to support the trial court's decision.
(c) Court's Decision Only: This is a power the court uses on its own. A party is not allowed to file a motion asking the court for a summary disposition. The court decides for itself when an appeal is so one-sided that it can be resolved immediately.
