ARKANSAS COURT OF APPEALS
NOT DESIGNATED FOR PUBLICATION

DEBRA YEARWOOD

APPELLANT

V.

WAL-MART STORES, INC. and CLAIMS MANAGEMENT, INC.

APPELLEES

CA03-1028

January 28, 2004

APPEAL FROM THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION COMMISSION

F201311

MOTION DENIED AND REBRIEFING ORDERED

Per Curiam

The appellees in this workers' compensation case have filed a motion to strike appellant's brief. The motion alleges that appellant has argued issues not raised at the hearing below and has included exhibits not submitted below and not a part of the record on appeal. Upon examination of appellant's brief, the court has determined that the brief is deficient in many respects, but that the proper disposition at this time is to allow appellant to correct the deficiencies in a substitute brief.

Appellant is a pro se litigant, but she is governed by the same rules and held to the same standards as attorneys before this court. Hooker v. Farm Plan Corp., 331 Ark. 418, 962 S.W.2d 353 (1998). Rule 4-2 of the Rules of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals sets forth the contents and order of briefs to be filed in this court. Appellant is required to follow this rule in her substitute brief. The court will identify certain flagrant deficiencies which must be addressed by appellant.

There must be a statement of the case as described in Rule 4-2(a)(6). Rule 4-2(a)(8) sets forth the items that must be contained in the addendum, which include the opinion of the Workers' Compensation Commission and the notice of appeal. The abstract must follow the requirements of Rule 4-2(a)(5) and consist of only a condensation of testimony and colloquies before the court, and not contain exhibits. Exhibits necessary to the determination of the issues must be included in the addendum, see Ark. Sup. Ct. R. 4-2(a)(8); exhibits not contained in the record may not be attached to the brief or considered by the court. The addendum must also include an index of its contents and where the items can be found in the record. Ark. Sup. Ct. R. 4-2(a)(8).

The motion to strike appellant's brief is denied, and the appellant is ordered to file a substitute brief that complies with Rule 4-2 within thirty days of the date of this opinion. The clerk shall set the briefing schedule accordingly.