Form AO 136A, Certificate of Good Standing (Court of Appeals), is the certificate in which the Clerk of a United States Court of Appeals states that a named person was duly admitted to practice in that court and is in good standing in it. The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts publishes the form, and the Clerk or a Deputy Clerk completes and signs it for a particular circuit. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the official PDF and its information page are published at uscourts.gov.
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What is AO 136A?
Form AO 136A, Certificate of Good Standing (Court of Appeals), is a one-page certificate of the United States Court of Appeals in which the Clerk of the court certifies that a named person was duly admitted to practice in that court on a stated date and is in good standing in it.
The form is published by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. It is headed "United States Court of Appeals for the ___ Circuit," so the circuit is written in on each certificate. The text is written in the Clerk's own voice: "I, ___, Clerk of this Court, certify that ___ was duly admitted to practice in this Court on ___, and is in good standing in this Court."
Completing it produces a dated certificate. Besides the Clerk's name, the name of the person admitted and the date of admission, the form records where and on what date the certificate was made ("Dated at ___ on ___"). It ends with a signature line marked CLERK and DEPUTY CLERK.
The wording is limited to this court. The certificate speaks only to admission and standing "in this Court," meaning the court of appeals named at the top, and the form's title specifies Court of Appeals. The revision printed on the form is Rev. 10/13.
Who needs to file AO 136A?
The form is completed by the court, not by the person it describes. Its text is written for the Clerk of a United States Court of Appeals, and the signature line is marked CLERK and DEPUTY CLERK, so the Clerk or a Deputy Clerk of the circuit issues it.
The person named on the certificate is the one who was duly admitted to practice in that court of appeals. The certificate states that this person is in good standing in that court.
The form prints no eligibility rules, exclusions or instructions for representatives. It certifies standing only in the court of appeals named at the top ("in this Court"), so it does not speak to admission in any other court.
How to fill out AO 136A
Enter the circuit
In the heading "United States Court of Appeals for the ___ Circuit," write the circuit of the court that is issuing the certificate.
Enter the Clerk's name
In the sentence beginning "I," enter the name of the Clerk of the Court who is making the certification.
Enter the name of the admitted person
After "certify that," enter the full name of the person who was duly admitted to practice in this court.
Enter the date of admission
In the blank after "was duly admitted to practice in this Court on," enter the date of admission, in the place marked (Date).
Enter the location and certificate date
On the "Dated at ___ on ___" line, write the location where the certificate is made and the date it is made.
Prepare the signature line
The signature line is marked CLERK and DEPUTY CLERK; the Clerk or a Deputy Clerk signs it.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check the circuit, both names and both dates, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and take it to the Clerk or Deputy Clerk for signature.
How to submit AO 136A
The form prints no filing channel, mailing address or portal. It is a certificate that the Clerk or a Deputy Clerk of the court of appeals named at the top completes and signs, so questions about how that court issues and delivers certificates go to that court's clerk's office.
The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts publishes the blank form and its information page at https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/ao136a_0.pdf.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; any submission follows the court's own channels.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the circuit blank in the heading "United States Court of Appeals for the ___ Circuit," so the certificate does not say which court speaks.
- Leaving out the date of admission, which the form requires after "was duly admitted to practice in this Court on."
- Confusing the two dates: the admission date belongs in the certification sentence, and the date the certificate is made belongs after "Dated at ___ on."
- Omitting the location in the "Dated at" line.
- Leaving the certificate without the signature of the Clerk or a Deputy Clerk.
- Reading the certificate as covering other courts; it certifies standing only in the court of appeals named on it.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form AO 136A?
Form AO 136A is the Certificate of Good Standing (Court of Appeals). It is a certificate in which the Clerk of a United States Court of Appeals states that a named person was duly admitted to practice in that court on a given date and is in good standing in it.
Who signs a certificate of good standing for a court of appeals?
The Clerk or a Deputy Clerk of the court. The text of the form reads "I, ___, Clerk of this Court, certify," and the signature line at the bottom is marked CLERK and DEPUTY CLERK.
What information goes on the certificate?
The circuit, the Clerk's name, the name of the person admitted, the date of admission, and the location and date where the certificate is made. The form then carries the signature of the Clerk or a Deputy Clerk.
Does this certificate cover other courts?
No. It certifies that the person was admitted and is in good standing "in this Court," meaning the United States Court of Appeals for the circuit written in at the top. The form says nothing about any other court.
Can I fill out Form AO 136A online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not issue the certificate or submit it to any court; the Clerk of the court of appeals completes and signs the certification.
Where do I get the official Form AO 136A?
The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts publishes it as a PDF at https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/ao136a_0.pdf. The revision printed on the form is Rev. 10/13.
Is this form for state or business certificates of good standing?
No. AO 136A is titled Certificate of Good Standing (Court of Appeals) and is written for the Clerk of a United States Court of Appeals, certifying a person's admission to practice and standing in that court.
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