Parties may join in an appeal or any one or more of them may appeal separately.
Rule 81.02.Appeals Jointly or Separately.
Part I · Rule 81: Appeals · Last amended January 1, 1980 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceRule 81.02 lets multiple parties who want to appeal the same judgment either join together in a single appeal or file separate appeals on their own, whichever suits their situation.
Full Text of Rule 81.02
Amendment History
Adopted June 13, 1979, eff. Jan. 1, 1980.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 81.02 gives parties flexibility when more than one of them wants to appeal the same judgment. They can join together and take the appeal as a group, or any one or more of them can appeal on their own. Nothing in the rule forces a joint appeal, and nothing forbids one.
The choice usually tracks how aligned the parties' interests are. Co-defendants who lost on the same claim for the same reasons often join in one notice of appeal to share the cost and present a unified argument. Parties whose positions have diverged, or who want different counsel to control the strategy, can appeal separately instead. Even when appeals are filed separately, Rules 81.12(h) and 81.14(a) let multiple appellants from the same judgment share a single record on appeal and split its cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can co-parties file one appeal together in Missouri?
Yes. Rule 81.02 lets parties join in a single appeal from the same judgment.
Do all the losing parties have to appeal jointly?
No. Any one or more of them may appeal separately instead.
What if only one party wants to appeal?
That party may appeal alone; joining with others is optional, not required.
Does filing separately cost more?
It can, since a single shared record on appeal under Rules 81.12(h) and 81.14(a) is only available when parties coordinate, but separate filers can still ask to share a record.
Can appeals filed separately still share one record on appeal?
Yes. Rules 81.12(h) and 81.14(a) let multiple appellants from the same judgment share a single record on appeal and split its cost, even if their notices of appeal were filed separately.
Source & verification. Rule text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Missouri State & Federal Court Rules, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Missouri. Last verified July 22, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: joint appeal missouriseparate appeals multiple partiesco-appellantsmultiple appeals same judgment