[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 141 (Monday, July 25, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-17991]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: July 25, 1994]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 1

[FCC 94-181]

 

Document Specifications

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Commission grants petitions for reconsideration of 
previous order amending the Commission's rules regarding document 
specifications. The rule is amended to eliminate the character per inch 
requirement for Commission filings. Instead, the amended rule requires 
that Commission filings must utilize type of at least 12-point in 
height, must be double spaced, and must be filed on A4 or 8.5  x  11 
inch (21.6 cm.  x  27.9 cm.) paper with the printed material not 
exceeding 6.5  x  9.5 inches (16.5 cm.  x  24.1 cm.).

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 25, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
S. Lee Martin, Office of General Counsel (202) 418-1758.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's 
memorandum opinion and order, adopted on July 7, 1994, and released on 
July 20, 1994. The full text of the memorandum opinion and order is 
available for inspection and copying during normal business hours in 
the FCC Reference Center (Room 239), 1919 M Street NW., Washington, 
D.C. The complete text may also be purchased from the Commission's copy 
contractor, International Transcription Service, Inc., Suite 140, 2100 
M Street NW., Washington, DC 20037.

Summary of Memorandum Opinion and Order

    1. By its order the Commission granted reconsideration of a 
previous order, Amendment of Section 1.49 of the Commission's Rules, 58 
FR 63087 (Nov. 30, 1993), that was intended to ensure against the 
circumvention of the page limitations by the use of printing reduction 
processes. To achieve this goal more effectively, the Commission 
determined on reconsideration that it would eliminate the character per 
inch requirement, but that it would amend Sec. 1.49(a) to specify with 
greater precision the acceptable format for Commission filings. These 
changes are designed to ensure that all parties filing a particular 
pleading have an equal opportunity to make a substantive presentation 
to the Commission without regard to whether they have access to 
sophisticated word processing equipment.
    2. Section 1.49(a) continues to require that all Commission filings 
be double spaced, but the rule is amended to specify a distance of at 
least \7/32\ of an inch (0.158 cm.) between the lines. Although 
footnotes and quoted material may be single spaced, parties are 
cautioned against abusing the page limitations with filings that 
contain excessive single spaced material. The permissible paper size is 
unchanged but the rule is amended to specify that the margins must be 
set so that the printed material does not exceed 6.5  x  6.9 inches 
(16.5  x  24.1 cm.).
    3. The Commission has adopted the suggestion that pleadings must 
utilize 12-point or larger type, but it has deleted the character per 
inch requirement. Such requirement was deemed unnecessary in light 
specifications as to point size, margins, and the minimum distance 
between each line of text.
    4. The Commission also amended 47 CFR 1.50 to reflect that briefs 
should be typewritten or mechanically produced unless the Commission 
specifically requests printed briefs, and that typewritten or 
mechanically produced briefs must meet all the general format 
specifications that are set forth in section 1.49(a) of the rules.

List of Subjects for 47 CFR Part 1

    Administrative practice and procedure, Pleadings, Briefs, and other 
papers.

Federal Communications Commission.
William F. Caton,
Acting Secretary.

Rule Changes

    Part 1 of Chapter I of Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
is amended as follows:

PART 1--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for Part 1 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: Secs. 4, 303, 48 Stat. 1066, 1082, as amended; 47 
U.S.C. 154, 303; Implement, 5 U.S.C. 552 and 21 U.S.C. 853a, unless 
otherwise noted.

    2. Section 1.49 is amended by revising paragraph (a) to read as 
follows:


Sec. 1.49  Specifications as to pleadings and documents.

    (a) All pleadings and documents filed in any Commission proceeding 
shall be typewritten or prepared by mechanical processing methods, and 
shall be filed on A4 (21 cm.  x  29.7 cm.) or on 8\1/2\  x  11 inch 
(21.6 cm.  x  27.9 cm.) paper with the margins set so that the printed 
material does not exceed 6\1/2\  x  9\1/2\ inches (16.5 cm.  x  24.1 
cm.). The printed material may be in any typeface of at least 12-point 
(0.42333 cm. or \12/72\'') in height. The body of the text must be 
double spaced with a minimum distance of \7/32\ of an inch (0.5556 cm.) 
between each line of text. Footnotes and long, indented quotations may 
be single spaced, but must be in type that is 12-point or larger in 
height, with at least \1/16\ of an inch (0.158 cm.) between each line 
of text. Counsel are cautioned against employing extended single spaced 
passages or excessive footnotes to evade prescribed pleading lengths. 
If single-spaced passages or footnotes are used in this manner the 
pleading will, at the discretion of the Commission, either be rejected 
as unacceptable for filing or dismissed with leave to be refiled in 
proper form. Pleadings may be printed on both sides of the paper. 
Pleadings that use only one side of the paper shall be stapled, or 
otherwise bound, in the upper left-hand corner; those using both sides 
of the paper shall be stapled twice, or otherwise bound, along the 
left-hand margin so that it opens like a book. The foregoing shall not 
apply to printed briefs specifically requested by the Commission, 
official publications, charted or maps, original documents (or 
admissible copies thereof) offered as exhibits, specially prepared 
exhibits, or if otherwise specifically provided. All copies shall be 
clearly legible.
* * * * *
    3. Section 1.50 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 1.50  Specifications as to briefs.

    The Commission's preference is for briefs that are typewritten or 
prepared by mechanical processing methods. Printed briefs will be 
accepted only if specifically requested by the Commission. Typewritten 
or mechanically produced briefs must conform to all of the 
specifications for pleadings and documents set forth in Sec. 1.49.

[FR Doc. 94-17991 Filed 7-22-94; 8:45 am]
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