Formatting legal documents is an incredibly finicky process. 3816-2014 3 Creating lists and numbered headings in Word 2013 If you have ever wrestled with numbering in Microsoft Word, you are not alone! Legal Document Preparation Class 1 Slide 9 Pre­Printed Forms • Sometimes, courts or other agencies will have specific forms that they will require for certain tasks. Are You Getting The Most Out Of Your Estate Planning Software? There are: Paper size; Fonts; Margins; Spacing; Printing and binding; All of these elements come together to form a complete legal document, though the specifications can sometimes vary … Because the truth is, sometimes the best laid plans (or, rather, the best-laid formatting) go awry. This kind of system makes it easy to automate basic tasks so that you can focus on bigger things, like ensuring that attorneys have access to updated templates. Mark/Format All Headings in a Document You can mark and/or format the entire document, a section or selected text. Customized by Sue Huckle on the Genesis Framework. The entire point of margins and spacing is to make the document more readable. If you supplement those levels with Romanettes (i, ii, iii), and parentheses ((a), (b), (c) and (1), (2), (3)), you can create an outline with 7 levels: I. Here’s how you should format some of the most common legal documents, and how a document software can ensure you do it right. And if you’re handing over a briefing to a judge with a couple hundred other briefings to deal with, readability should be your top priority. So it’s safe to say that legal formatting is an incredibly important part of the business. Before you can generate legal documents, you must set up document types, which are internal document types, in the Document Type UDC (00/DT) for each legal document that you use. Rather than a regular sheet of paper (sized 8.5 x 11 inches), legal sizing is a bit longer (8.5 x 14 inches), though there’s also junior legal sizing (5 x 8 inches). The entire point of horizontal and vertical text spacing is to make a document readable. Don’t trust that a document will work--the document formatting relies on the compiled effect of many different formatting decisions. Copyright © 2008 - 2019 by Sue Huckle Web Communications. When creating a numbering system for policies and procedures, be sure to keep the goal in mind, which is to make it easy to organize and find the documents. 2-002 Body Text Another common culprit is a corrupt template. Each type of document will often require the same format with headings, logos, font types, spacing, and more. If pleading paper is not required, the paper should be standard 8.5”x11” white paper, printed on only one side. They’ll ensure that everyone uses exactly the same formatting every time they create a certain kind of document. During the discovery phase of the litigation, more number of documents require the use of the unique identifiers for each page of the each important document for quick retrieval and reference. If you’re not sure where that is, the final paragraph in a document contains a hidden section break, so a single-section document typically hides corruption in the final paragraph mark. Each brief must include, in order: Depending on the case you present, other documents may need to be included. A new method has been defined to assign numbers to documents published in the L (Legislation) series of the Official Journal of the European Union (OJ). Software like this also makes it easy to fix formatting hiccups and add boilerplate sections without compromising your formatting. Otherwise, the court will refuse your document. Legal Document Preparation Class 1 Slide 1 Basic ... • Page numbering – The first page is not numbered; all subsequent pages are numbered at the bottom center. PF: SWP-F Platform (Zone/Installation Code) 4. Even the weight of the document is regulated (no less than 60 pounds). To stay on top of the task, the best plan is to have a specifically designated document admin. I agree with Kales; do what makes most sense for your company and its document user community. And that means periodic updates to comply with new office standards, re-releasing the improved templates into the wild to replace the old ones. This will make it easier to read the document efficiently. In a single case, a lawyer and their team can generate a whole library of documents from briefs to affidavits to court filings. A. Formatting Legal Documents With Microsoft Word 2010, Formatting Page Numbers using Different Styles in Microsoft Word, 5 Steps for Avoiding Microsoft Word Formatting Mishaps. That’s why we built a better software. Re: Document Numbering System For ISO/Quality Management Document vs. All Other Docum A document numbering system is not required. This is where a great document software can save the day. Some legal textbooks have a numbering format that looks something like this: 1 Heading-1 Under Format, place your cursor at the beginning of the line. Bates numbering is commonly used as an organizational method to label and identify legal documents. The Supreme Court uses Lucinda Sans Typewriter for daily orders and Century Schoolbook for opinions, while state supreme courts vary (the Supreme Court of Arkansas, for example, likes Garamond) and circuit courts have their own preferences. Now, if you have a block quote, things may get messy. 2-001 Body Text Start with the file version. Under this rule, briefs should be typeset in fonts in the Century family in 12-point type, with 2-point or more leading between lines. The problem is, between cases and meetings and document preparation, building those documents can get a bit hairy. Filed Under: Document Formatting Tagged With: word numbering. If you’re not using Microsoft Word (or you’re trying to create your own template), set the margins manually. It is traditional, but not crucial, to omit the page number from page one. Remember, even a good document can turn into a bad one with too many bad edits. When in doubt, stay away from anything that isn’t a citation. Legal documents commonly contain sections that define your terms and condition, the responsibilities of each party, as well as the date of its creation. A document type code: NOTE, WD (Working Draft), PR (Proposed Recommendation), or REC (Recommendation). Now that that the dialog box is open, you can set up your specially formatted numbering by following these steps: This will format the list with the correct numbering, but you still need to tell Word what to do when you skip to a new section and want to continue the sequence. 1-002 Body Text The brief is an attempt to convince the judge that your view of the case is the correct way to resolve the issues. Often used in the legal profession or in large corporate documents, multilevel numbering creates a logical hierarchy and easy navigation within the document. SUBJECT: Document Preparation, Numbering, and Management for their format, content, document numbering methodology, and maintenance. PK5: PxxxKx 5 (Field or Area) 3. If you decide to number articles in Roman numbers, you should revert to Arabic numbering for references to sections (i.e. Typically, legal documents like this will use Word’s heading styles (which are paragraph styles 1) to apply the outline numbering. For Example Document Number ID-PK5-PF-NIS-10-02-129 1. You want your reader focused on the content. Most legal documents use 1.5 or double-spacing. Odin Valkyries, Esq. Another option is to turn to your fellow lawyers. When formatting legal documents, it’s best to start with the basic elements. From there, it’s time to turn to the sides of the pleading, where the number lines are. Your document should contain a heading that includes the title or the case caption of your document, then indicate the parties involved in the transaction. Previously it is done manually but with passage of time, it is overtaken by electronic numbering. 2-006 Body Text. So, if you do business in North America, it’s generally safe to abide by U.S. sizing standards. When necessary, you should always use endnotes, but don’t bury information in the endnotes. 1-004 Body Text You can spot it pretty quickly if: Incorrect formatting can be fixed with a bit of typing. It’s an inefficient way to practice law, and you need something better. With that in mind, let’s talk about why templates are essential to good document formatting. Using MLL styles, you can format numbered legal documents with ease. Unlike autonumbering, they are stable…I don’t have issues with fields having a mind of their own, and changing my numbering without my permission! See what it looks like with the margins as far out as possible. As a result, refrain from making your numbering system overly complicated. 10: Process (Discipline Number) 6. Pleading paper is legal paper that has numbers 1 through 28 in the left hand margin. Can this be achieved in WORD 2007 in an automated way? If you’re submitting a brief for an amicus curiae, refer to Rule 37. This advice applies doubly if you are using different machines to work on a document, or are copying text from other documents. There are: All of these elements come together to form a complete legal document, though the specifications can sometimes vary depending on the document you use. Rule 33.1 establishes formatting guidelines for booklet, from the font (anything in the Century family, like Century Schoolbook, is acceptable) to block quotes (anything larger than 50 words must be indented) to the text field (4 ⅛ inches x 7 ⅛ inches, including footnotes) to binding (bound firmly in at least two places on the left margin for an easily opened volume). Consider how to make the numbering system intuitive, so someone can easily identify what kind of document they are looking at without having to use a reference key. 1-003 Body Text Twenty years ago, we began practicing in large law firms. For instance, you can automatically number figures, tables, or illustrations. Keep in mind, however, that you may need to be careful of document corruption. … We use Word 2000. One of the most common culprits in document corruption is old, outdated files that haven’t been updated to be compatible with your new system. Now the task falls to your document admins and office knowledge managers. If you’re creating a custom template, make sure that you create a new clean copy, rather than starting within a default template that could be corrupted later. 129: Sequentia… @David: If you create new styles for your numbering scheme and base them on the heading styles, you will still be able to use them to generate the table of contents, but they won’t go wonky on you because Word will never try to revert them to some default state (which is probably what’s happening now). I usually recommend using fields. This is easy to avoid so long as you make sure that your templates are updated periodically. You could spend hours painstakingly crafting each document from scratch. Bates numbering is the ancient methodology used to label & identify legal documents. Some legal textbooks have a numbering format that looks something like this: 1 Heading-1 1-001 Body Text bla,bla,bla… 1-002 Body Text Heading-2 1-003 Body Text 1-004 Body Text 1-005 Body Text From 1 January 2015, the numbering of EU legal acts will change. Legal formatting can be a nightmare for your attorneys, especially in a complicated case. The first thing to watch with pleadings is the margins. Attorney for Plaintiffs . The text field, including footnotes, should be no greater than 4 ⅛ inches wide by 7 ⅛ inches tall (line numbers outside this area are acceptable). Review rule and proposed rule documents against the checklist in the "Document Drafting Handbook. So, if you’re worried about staying within the boundaries of court-approved fonts, start by looking up fonts approved by your local and state court system. Then you have to … When it comes to Word documents, corruptions are usually (but not always) stored in section breaks. Make these templates available through the cloud so the whole office can access them. After all, that’s how the publisher will treat it. Instead, you could save your time and sanity by turning to premade templates. When would you check 'Legal style numbering' in the outline numbering dialog box? These documents should be pre-filled based on the most current best practices (including formatting). 2-003 Body Text If you require this document in an alternative format, such as larger print, please email is.skills@ed.ac.uk. THE CITY AND COUNTY OF VALHALLA. Those documents each have their own unique content--which means they all have their own unique formatting guidelines. Document corruption is a problem with the document itself. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Sequentially Numbering Elements in Your Document. A concise name, which should be a reasonable condensation of the document title. From there, direct your attention to formatting and editing to check for improper edits. 2-005 Body Text So, eliminate the possibility for the mistake to occur. You should make sure your memo has page numbers. Format Requirements for Regulatory Documents. Document corruption is when a document contains data errors that prevent it from loading properly. Type one line of content to start a sample list. Whether you have estate-planning attorneys, criminal attorneys, or corporate attorneys, most firms deal with at least a few of the same basic legal documents. From there, you’ll need to ensure that your boilerplate stays current. We mentioned earlier that formatting specifications can sometimes vary depending on the document you’re preparing. 1. MR. & MRS. N. EINHERJAR, The Estate of DRIFA EINHERJAR, a minor, and. Once you know the basic formatting rules, you’re ready to work your way through legal document templates--and troubleshoot potential disasters. 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