(a) Jurisdictional Statement. If the appeal is to the Supreme Court, the appellant shall file with the clerk of the trial court, as part of or simultaneously with appellant’s notice of appeal, a concise explanation, not to exceed six pages, detailing the judgment, decree, or order appealed from and sufficient other facts about the case to show that jurisdiction of the appeal is in the Supreme Court. Any other party may, within 15 days after the filing of appellant’s jurisdictional statement, file in the Supreme Court suggestions in opposition, not to exceed six pages.
Rule 81.08.Appeal to Supreme Court -- Jurisdictional Statement Required.
Part I · Rule 81: Appeals · Last amended January 1, 2017 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceRule 81.08 requires anyone appealing to the Missouri Supreme Court to file a jurisdictional statement, no longer than six pages, explaining why the case belongs there, with other parties given 15 days to respond.
Full Text of Rule 81.08
(b) If the appeal involves a post-conviction case, the appellant’s jurisdictional statement shall also give the nature of the offense and the section of the statute under which defendant was convicted.
(c) The jurisdictional statement required by this Rule 81.08 is for the purpose of facilitating appeals and preventing delays and is not a substitute for the jurisdictional statement required by Rule 84.04 to be set forth in appellant’s brief.
(d) Examples of Jurisdictional Statements. Bare recitals such as “This case involves construction of the revenue laws of the State of Missouri” or “This case involves the validity of a statute” or other similar general statements or conclusions are insufficient and will not be accepted.
(e) The following is an example of a sufficient explanation in a case involving construction of the revenue laws: “This action is one involving the question of whether the respondent’s machinery and equipment used in its operations in removing rock from the ground were exempt from the state sales tax law as being machinery and equipment falling within the exemption provided by section 144.040.3(4) and, hence, involves the construction of a revenue law of this state.”
Amendment History
Adopted June 13, 1979, eff. Jan. 1, 1980. Amended July 27, 1979. Amended June 1, 1993, eff. Jan. 1, 1994; Amended May 27, 1999, eff. Jan. 1, 2000; Amended May 26, 2000, eff. Jan. 1, 2001; Amended June 17, 2004, eff. Jan. 1, 2005; Amended May 19, 2016, eff. Jan. 1, 2017.
Plain-English Summary
An appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court needs more than a notice of appeal. Rule 81.08 requires the appellant to file, as part of or at the same time as the notice of appeal, a jurisdictional statement of no more than six pages laying out the judgment, decree, or order being appealed and enough other facts to show the appeal belongs in the Supreme Court and not the court of appeals. Any other party can file suggestions in opposition, also capped at six pages, within 15 days after the jurisdictional statement is filed.
Post-conviction appeals carry an added requirement: the jurisdictional statement also has to give the nature of the offense and the statute the defendant was convicted under.
This jurisdictional statement serves a narrow purpose — routing the appeal to the right court quickly and avoiding delay. It is not a substitute for the separate jurisdictional statement Rule 84.04 requires in the appellant's brief. The rule warns that bare, conclusory recitals will not be accepted and gives an example of what a sufficient explanation looks like when a case turns on the construction of a revenue statute, so parties can gauge how much detail the statement needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a jurisdictional statement to appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court?
Yes. Rule 81.08 requires it as part of or filed simultaneously with the notice of appeal.
How long can the jurisdictional statement be?
No more than six pages.
How much time does the other side have to respond?
15 days after the jurisdictional statement is filed, with a response also capped at six pages.
Is this the same as the jurisdictional statement in my brief?
No. The Rule 81.08 statement is meant to route the appeal and avoid delay; it does not replace the jurisdictional statement Rule 84.04 requires in the brief.
What if my jurisdictional statement is too vague?
Bare recitals and general conclusions are not accepted. The statement needs enough specific facts to show why the Supreme Court, and not the court of appeals, has jurisdiction.
What extra information do I need in a post-conviction appeal?
The nature of the offense and the statutory section the defendant was convicted under.
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: jurisdictional statement missouri supreme courtappeal to supreme courtsix page jurisdictional statement