Short answer. Yes. Rule 41, Section 8 lets both parties, where both are appellants, file a joint record on appeal, within the time fixed for the record on appeal under Section 3 of the Rule, or such other time as the court may fix.
What the law says
Where both parties are appellants, they may file a joint record on appeal within the time fixed by section 3 of this Rule, or that fixed by the court.
Rule 41, Section 8 — Joint record on appeal. Read the full provision →
When a joint record is available
Where both parties to a case turn out to be appellants, each appealing the same Regional Trial Court decision, Section 8 allows them to file a single joint record on appeal, rather than each having to prepare and submit a separate record covering essentially the same case. Since each side is separately entitled to appeal the same judgment, the Rule simply gives them the option of consolidating that shared effort into one document. This spares both appellants the expense and duplicated labor of separately reproducing the same pleadings, orders, and transcripts that a second, near-identical record would otherwise require.
The filing deadline
That joint record must be filed within the time already fixed by Section 3 of Rule 41 for records on appeal generally, or within such other time as the court may specifically fix for the joint filing, so the usual timeliness rules still apply to it. Tying the joint filing to the same deadline that would otherwise apply to a single record keeps the timeline consistent, whether the parties file together or separately. The court's power to fix a different period is useful where the two appellants' individual periods to appeal do not line up exactly, letting the court set a single date both sides can realistically meet without either one losing time to prepare.
Why this option exists, and that it remains optional
Allowing a joint record avoids the redundancy of both sides separately preparing what would largely be duplicate records covering the very same judgment. That said, the rule uses the word 'may,' so nothing compels the parties to combine their records; either side, or both together, can still choose to file separately if they would rather do so. Either party can still choose the more traditional route of filing independently, particularly where their respective positions on appeal are different enough that a shared record would not fit well, or where one appellant simply prefers to control the content and pace of their own record rather than coordinate its preparation with an opposing party.
Related provisions
- Rule 41, Section 8 — Joint record on appeal
- Rule 41, Section 7 — Approval of record on appeal
- Rule 41, Section 9 — Perfection of appeal; effect thereof