CMLawLibraryBlog

What Judges Want in a Legal Brief

Sue Altmeyer, Electronic Services Librarian, sue.altmeyer@law.csuohio.edu | June 04, 2008 - 17:52

A recent survey of federal judges shows that judges want shorter, more hard-hitting briefs. While attorneys cited adequate case authority, judges found their legal analysis lacking. Only 56% of judges said that attorneys always or usually made their side's best argument. Judges "prefer traditional methods of organization, such as the use of a summary or roadmap of the arguments to follow and the placement of an advocate's strongest arguments first." Finally, concise writing is essential. As one judge stated, "If briefs are too long, the judge's attention will often stray and the good arguments will be lost in the sea of irrelevance." Robbins, Kristen, K., The Inside Scoop: What Federal Judges Really Think About the Way Lawyers Write, Georgetown Law Faculty Working Papers 2008.