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Rule 84.035.Appeals from Orders Granting or Denying Class Certification.

Part II · Rule 84: Procedure in All Appellate Courts · Last amended January 1, 2009 · Last verified July 22, 2026

In one sentenceRule 84.035 creates a permission-based interlocutory appeal from an order granting or denying class certification, requiring a petition within ten days that meets specific content requirements and, if the appeal is allowed, an expedited briefing track that does not automatically stay the trial court proceedings.

Full Text of Rule 84.035

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j)

(a) A party seeking permission to appeal from an order granting or denying class action certification shall file a petition for permission to appeal with the court of appeals within ten days of the entry of the order of which the party complains.
(b) The petition shall include the following:
(1) The question presented;
(2) A concise statement of facts necessary to understand the question presented;
(3) The relief sought, if an appeal is granted;
(4) A concise statement of reasons why the appeal should be allowed;
(5) A request for stay, if one is being sought;
(6) A copy of the order complained of and any related opinion or memorandum and any other documents that may be essential to an understanding of the matters set forth in the petition. The documents shall be attached as exhibits. The pages of the exhibits shall be numbered consecutively. An index of all exhibits shall be attached;
(7) Proof of service of a copy of the petition and exhibits on the trial judge and all other parties to the underlying action.
(c) A party may file a response opposing the petition, along with any other portions of the record, within ten days after the petition is filed.
(d) An original and such number of copies as the court may require of all filings associated with a petition for appeal by permission shall be filed.
(e) The petition to appeal will be decided on the basis of the petition and response without further briefing or oral argument unless the court otherwise orders.
(f) If the petition is granted, the appellant shall file a notice of appeal along with the required docket fee and all necessary attachments with the appropriate circuit clerk within 10 days of entry of the order granting permission to appeal.
(g) The appellant shall file a brief within 30 days of the filing of the notice of appeal in the circuit court. The respondent may file a brief within 20 days of the filing of the appellant’s brief. The appellant may file a reply brief within 10 days of the filing of the respondent’s brief.
(h) The petition for permission to appeal, together with the attached exhibits, the response, and any portions of the record filed with the response by the party opposing the petition shall constitute the record, and no separate record need be prepared for the appellate court. Either party may supplement the appellate record by filing on or before the date the main brief is filed any additional portions of the trial court record and proceedings necessary to the determination of the questions presented on appeal.
(i) The appeal of any order granting or denying class action certification shall not stay the proceedings in the trial court unless the trial judge or the appellate court so orders.
(j) If the petition to appeal is denied, further review, if any, of the trial court’s order granting or denying class action certification shall be by petition for original remedial writ filed directly in this Court.

Amendment History

Adopted June 21, 2005, eff. Jan. 1, 2006. Amended June 23, 2008, eff. Jan. 1, 2009.

Plain-English Summary

An order on class certification usually can’t be appealed the way a final judgment can, so Rule 84.035 builds a separate path for it. A party who wants to challenge such an order must file a petition for permission to appeal with the court of appeals within ten days of the order. The petition has to identify the question presented, give a concise statement of the necessary facts, state the relief sought if the appeal is granted, explain concisely why the appeal should be allowed, request a stay if one is wanted, attach the order and any related opinion or memorandum along with an indexed set of exhibits, and prove service on the trial judge and all other parties. The opposing side can file a response within ten days after the petition is filed, and the court ordinarily decides whether to allow the appeal on the papers alone, without further briefing or argument.

If the petition is granted, the appellant must file a notice of appeal with the docket fee and required attachments in the circuit court within ten days of the order granting permission. From there, briefing moves on a set schedule — 30 days for the appellant’s brief, 20 more for the respondent’s, and 10 more for any reply. The petition, exhibits, response, and any record portions filed with the response make up the appellate record, though either side can supplement it with additional trial-court materials before the main brief is due.

Filing the petition doesn’t pause the trial court case on its own; the case keeps moving unless the trial judge or the appellate court orders a stay. And if the petition to appeal is denied, the rule closes off further review of the certification order except by petition for an original remedial writ filed directly with the Missouri Supreme Court.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to seek permission to appeal a class-certification order?

Ten days from the entry of the order.

What must the petition for permission to appeal include?

The question presented, a concise statement of the relevant facts, the relief sought, reasons the appeal should be allowed, a stay request if wanted, the order and supporting documents as indexed exhibits, and proof of service.

Will there be oral argument on whether the appeal is allowed?

Not ordinarily — the court decides based on the petition and response alone unless it orders otherwise.

Does filing the petition pause the trial court case?

No, there’s no automatic stay; the trial judge or the appellate court has to order one.

What happens if the petition is denied?

Further review of the certification order is available only by petition for an original remedial writ filed directly in the Missouri Supreme Court.

What’s the briefing schedule once the appeal is allowed?

Thirty days for the appellant’s brief, 20 days for the respondent’s brief, and 10 days for any reply brief.

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: class certification interlocutory appeal Missouripermission to appeal class action orderclass action appeal deadlinepetition for permission to appeal