(a) Unless the context requires otherwise, as used in this Part:

1. (1) The word cause or matter includes an appeal, a special proceeding transferred to the Appellate Division pursuant to CPLR 7804(g), a special proceeding initiated in the Appellate Division, and an action submitted to the Appellate Division pursuant to CPLR 3222 on a case containing an agreed statement of facts upon which the controversy depends.
2. (2) Any reference to the court or the Appellate Division means the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York for the Judicial Department having jurisdiction over the cause or matter; any reference to a justice means a justice of that court; any reference to the clerk means the clerk of that court or a designee, unless the context of usage indicates the clerk of another court.
3. (3) Wherever reference is made to a judgment, order or determination, it shall also be deemed to include a sentence.
4. (4) The word consolidation refers to the combining of two or more causes arising out of the same action or proceeding in one record or appendix and one brief.
5. (5) The phrase cross appeal refers to an appeal taken by a party whose interests are adverse to a party who previously appealed from the same order or judgment as relates to that appeal and cross appeal.
6. (6) The word concurrent, when used to describe appeals, shall refer to those appeals which have been taken separately from the same order or judgment by parties whose interests are not adverse to one another as relates to those appeals.
7. (7) The word appellant shall refer to the party required to file the initial brief to the court in a cause or matter, including an appellant, a petitioner, an appellant-respondent and similar parties.
8. (8) The term NYSCEF shall mean the New York State Courts Electronic Filing System and the NYSCEF site shall mean the New York State Courts Electronic Filing System website located at www.nycourts.gov/efile.
9. (9) The phrase filed electronically, when used to describe submissions to a court, shall refer to documents that have been filed by electronic means through the NYSCEF site.
10. (10) The phrase electronic means shall mean any method of transmission of information between computers or other machines, other than facsimile machines.
11. (11) The phrase hard copy shall mean a document in paper format.

12. (12) The phrase digital copy shall mean a document in text-searchable portable document format and otherwise compliant with the technical requirements established by the court.

    (b) Number of justices.

    When a cause is argued or submitted to the court with four justices present, it shall, whenever necessary, be deemed submitted also to any other duly qualified justice of the court, unless objection is noted at the time of argument or submission.

    (c) Filing and service; weekends and holidays.

13. (1) Filing.

    1. (i) Electronic filing. For the purpose of meeting deadlines imposed by court rule, order, or statute, all records on appeal, briefs, appendices, motions, affirmations and other submissions filed electronically will be deemed filed as of the time copies of the submissions are transmitted to the NYSCEF site. The filing of additional hard copies of such electronic filings pursuant to court rules shall not affect the timeliness of the filing.
    2. (ii) Hard copy filing. For the purpose of meeting deadlines imposed by court rule, order or statute, all records on appeal, briefs, appendices, motions, affirmations and other submissions not filed electronically will be deemed filed as of the time hard copies of the submissions are received and stamped by the office of the clerk.
    3. (iii) A document deemed filed for purposes of timeliness under this rule may thereafter be reviewed and rejected by the clerk for failure to comply with any applicable statute, rule or order.
14. (2) Proof of service. All hard copy filings shall be accompanied by proof of service upon all necessary parties pursuant to CPLR 2103.
15. (3) Service by mail and overnight mail. If a period of time prescribed by this Part is measured from the service of a record, brief or other submission and service is by mail, five days shall be added to the prescribed period. If service is by overnight delivery, one day shall be added to the prescribed period.
16. (4) Service by electronic mail upon consent. Unless otherwise directed by the court, parties in matters not subject to e-filing may agree, in writing, to service of submissions by electronic mail. A copy of any such agreement shall be filed with the court with the affidavit of service.

17. (5) Weekends and holidays. If a period of time prescribed by this Part for the performance of an act ends on a Saturday, Sunday or court holiday, the act will be deemed timely if performed before the close of business on the next business day.

    (d) Signing of documents.

    The original of every hard copy document submitted for filing in the office of the clerk of the court shall be signed in ink in accordance with the provisions of section 130-1.1-a(a) of this Title. Copies of the signed original shall be served upon all parties to the matter and shall be filed in the office of the clerk whenever multiple copies of a submission are required to be served and filed in accordance with the provisions of this Part. Documents filed electronically shall be signed in accordance with the provisions of the Appellate Division Rules for Electronic Filing.

    (e) Confidentiality and sealing.

18. (1) Records, briefs and other submissions filed in matters deemed confidential by law shall not be available to the public except as provided by statute or rule.

19. (2) Appeals and proceedings that are confidential by law include, but are not limited to:

    1. (i) Matters arising pursuant to the Family Court Act (Family Court Act section 166).
    2. (ii) Matrimonial actions and proceedings (Domestic Relations Law section 235; CPLR 105[p]).
    3. (iii) Adoption proceedings (Domestic Relations Law section 114).
    4. (iv) Youthful offender adjudications (CPL 720.35[2]; 725.15).
    5. (v) Proceedings pursuant to article 6 of the Social Services Law (Social Services Law section 422[4][a]).
    6. (vi) In criminal matters not otherwise confidential, records of grand jury proceedings (CPL 190.25[4]), grand jury reports (CPL 190.85) and presentence reports and memoranda (CPL 390.50).
    7. (vii) Proceedings pursuant to Civil Rights Law section 50-b.
    8. (viii) Proceedings pursuant to Judiciary Law section 90(10).
20. (3) Applications for sealing and unsealing court records shall be made by motion, upon good cause shown.

21. (4) In a civil cause, documents that are subject to an existing sealing order from another court shall remain subject to such order, except as otherwise ordered by the Appellate Division.

    (f) Appellate division numbers.

    All documents filed with the court shall prominently display the name of the court of original instance, the index number or indictment number of the case in such court, if any, and any number assigned by the Appellate Division.

    (g) Rejection for noncompliance.

    The clerk may reject any submission that does not comply with this Part, is incomplete, is untimely, is not legible, or fails to comply with any applicable statute, rule or order. The court may waive compliance by any party with any provision of this Part.

    (h) Sanctions.

    An attorney or party who fails to comply with a rule or order of the court or who engages in frivolous conduct shall be subject to such sanction as the court may impose. The imposition of sanctions and costs may be made upon motion or upon the court's own initiative, after a reasonable opportunity to be heard. The court may impose sanctions and/or costs upon a written decision setting forth the conduct on which the imposition is made.

    (i) Electronic filing rules.

    The rules of this Part shall be read in conjunction with the Electronic Filing Rules of the Appellate Division (Part 1245 of this Title). Where there is a conflict between this Part and Part 1245 of this Title in an appellate e-filed matter, Part 1245 of this Title shall control.