Except where the court for good cause shown directs otherwise, costs of the appeal shall be assessed as follows: If the appellant wins in the appellate court, that court shall tax the docket fee and the cost of the record on appeal in appellant’s favor. If the appellant is the losing party, the appellant shall stand the cost of the record on appeal including the cost of any part thereof supplied by the respondent and found necessary. In those cases where the appellant takes an appeal to review only legal questions pertaining to instructions, given or refused, and the evidence is unnecessary to the determination of the cause, but the respondent requests the appellant to include the evidence in the record on appeal, then the cost of supplying such evidence shall be taxed against the respondent. Counsel preparing the record shall certify the cost of preparing the legal file and any relevant subportions thereof and shall indicate which parties ordered the subportions thereof. The cost of preparing the transcript shall be certified thereon by the reporter. Transcript costs will be allowed for all copies of transcripts required by these rules.
Rule 84.18.Cost of the Record on Appeal, When Allowed.
Part II · Rule 84: Procedure in All Appellate Courts · Last amended January 1, 2005 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceRule 84.18 allocates the cost of preparing the record on appeal based on who wins — the winning appellant recovers the docket fee and record costs, the losing appellant generally pays them, and special billing applies when a respondent insists on including evidence not needed for a legal-issues-only appeal.
Full Text of Rule 84.18
Amendment History
Adopted June 13, 1979, eff. Jan. 1, 1980. Amended Sept. 28, 1993, eff. Jan. 1, 1994; Amended June 17, 2004, eff. Jan. 1, 2005.
Plain-English Summary
Unless the court directs otherwise for good cause, Rule 84.18 ties the cost of an appeal to its outcome. If the appellant wins, the appellate court taxes the docket fee and the cost of the record on appeal in the appellant’s favor. If the appellant loses, the appellant bears the cost of the record, including any necessary portion of it that the respondent supplied.
The rule carves out one situation where that default flips: when an appeal is limited to legal questions about jury instructions and the evidence isn’t needed to decide it, but the respondent asks that the evidence be included in the record anyway, the cost of supplying that evidence is taxed against the respondent instead. Counsel preparing the record must certify the cost of the legal file and any relevant subportions, noting which parties ordered them, and the court reporter certifies the transcript cost. Transcript costs are allowed for every copy of the transcript these rules require.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays for the record on appeal if I win my appeal?
The appellate court taxes the docket fee and the cost of the record in your favor.
What happens if I lose my appeal?
You generally bear the cost of the record on appeal, including necessary parts the respondent supplied.
Can the court change this cost allocation?
Yes, the court can direct otherwise for good cause shown.
What if my appeal only involves jury instructions and the respondent insists on including the evidence anyway?
The cost of supplying that evidence is taxed against the respondent.
Who certifies the cost of the record?
Counsel preparing the record certifies the cost of the legal file, and the court reporter certifies the transcript cost.
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: cost of record on appeal Missouriwho pays for the appellate transcripttaxing docket fee on appealrecord on appeal cost allocation