"Special Mechanical Rules for Legal

Documents"
Basic Types of Legal Documents
• Instrument
– This formal legal document establishes or validates the award of a right. Examples:
• Deeds, Wills, Mortgages, etc.

• Pleading
– This is a formal declaration made in court by one of the parties.
Examples:
• Complaints, answers

• Document
– This also holds true for any other permanently archived communication pertinent to a legal
matter.
Examples:
• Police reports, photographs, letters, etc.

Obtaining Background Information

• Any legal task, in order to be prepared and carried out, must first obtain particular information
from the clients. This might be acquired through a questionnaire or during an interview. This
information includes:

– Family information
– Financial information and which other advisors the client is working with
– Employment information
– Health information
– Important documents relevant to the client
– (If a civil action) All information and documentation relevant to the case

General Form of Legal Writings

• You can generally select the kind of paper, ink, etc. that you use. However, there are frequently
guidelines about these matters that must be adhered to for specific instruments and in court
documents.
• When a court has these regulations, they are frequently published in a circular that is available
for purchase.
• Always ask the clerk when in doubt!
Some physical aspects to Legal Documents
• Paper
– Generally, use letter size; legal size is sometimes occasionally used and may be necessary for
specific kinds of documents, such deeds.

• Typeface
– Select a conventional, conservative font.

• Margins
– Use margins that are large enough to facilitate comfortable reading, such as 11.5 inches.

• Spacing
– The majority of other documents can be 1.5 spaces between, however pleadings and other
instruments need to be double spaced.
– Frequently, letters are single-spaced.

Special Components of Legal Documents

• Legal documents frequently need to include the following information in addition to the body:

– Caption (for all content filed with the court)

– Heading (for the majority of legal documents, such as letters)

– Signing space, particularly for musical instruments

– Where appropriate, acknowledgement and a spot for the document to be notarized

– Court filings frequently need to include an area for the lawyer to sign.

Special Mechanical Rules for Legal Documents

• The following are often put in ALL CAPS:
– Names of people or businesses, organizations, etc.
– Title of the instrument
– Header words of important paragraphs (e.g., “WHEREAS”)

• Grammar and spelling

– Spelling and grammar errors should be avoided in order to maintain the document's intended
meaning and project professionalism.

• Numbers are often written in both English and Arabic numbers; e.g.,
– Ten thousand Dollars ($10,000)
• Page numbering
– All pages beyond the first are numbered in the bottom center; the first page is not numbered.