Judicial Document Drafting and Formatting
Structure of a court document
A pleading or application normally includes a caption (court, parties, case number), a title, a statement of facts, legal grounds, a prayer for relief, date, signature, and verification where required. Exhibits are numbered and served. Formatting rules govern paper size, margins, font, line spacing, and page numbering.
Drafting discipline
Facts should be specific, chronological, and admissible. Legal argument should connect each fact to a rule and a remedy. The prayer must be definite: money, possession, injunction, or declaration. Citations should identify the source precisely. A verification is a sworn statement that the contents are true; omitting it can make the document defective.
Worked example. A complaint seeks “damages and any other relief.” The court cannot enforce an indefinite sum. A better prayer states the principal amount, interest from a date, costs, and any specific performance. If the claim is verified, the verification must be signed and dated by the party, not only the representative.
Traps
- Vague prayers that cannot be enforced.
- Missing verification or certificate of service.
- Inconsistent party names between caption and body.
- Arguing evidence in the facts section without pleading the legal basis.