How to Handle Supreme Court Brief Printing the Right Way
Folks deal with Supreme Court brief printing work need to get all of the details right. While a few small items usually won't derail a brief, it can slow the process down. Here are 5 ways to ensure your brief will be done right.
Cover Page Details
The standard cover page will list the primary parties to the case. If there are too many to list on one side, tacking on "et al." at the end of the set on one side will do the job. You will also want a header noting that this brief is "In the Supreme Court of the United States." Include information about the previous court that heard the case, and note what sort of writ you're seeking or what you're responding to.
At the bottom, list the contact information for the counsel for your side, including names, titles, postal addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers. You won't need to include any state bar numbers, though.
Spacing
When handling Supreme Court printing needs, always use standard 8.5-inch by 11-inch paper. You should double-space the text, but you may indent block quotes and single-space them. Margins need to be at least one inch on each side of each page. Page numbers go in the margins, but there should be no additional text in those spaces.
Typefaces
Use serif fonts for all text except for headings and captions—those may be sans-serif. Use at least a 14-point proportional or monospaced font. Reserve the use of bold and italics for case names and emphasis.
Length
For Supreme Court printing work, initial petitions may not exceed 30 pages. Replies to briefs can't exceed 15 pages. There are some exceptions, but it is wise to assume your case doesn't meet them. The goal is to provide equal opportunity to both sides by limiting initial arguments in the brief, and crossing this line risks irritating the court. Remember, the goal is to have the case heard, not to win it with the brief. Justices will afford amply time for further exposition at a later date.
Questions Presented
If you are petitioning for a writ, this is the meat of your Supreme Court brief printing work. Avoid using emphasis, all-caps, or underlines for the questions. Simply type them out. Label the section "Question[s] Presented" and get on with it. Use the above rules to handle formatting and use ordinal numbers to state what the first, second, and so on questions are.
For more help, contact Supreme Court printing services.