Law Briefs Must Meet Word Count Specs by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals indicated that an appeal may be dismissed when the law brief supporting validity of the claim does meet specifications for the appropriate word count. Recently, Scott Memorial Hospital contended that a law brief for a False Claims Act lawsuit exceeded the word count limits by 4,000 words. In fact, the Judge in the case remarked that heading, footnotes and quotations are all inclusive in final word counts. The Judge issued a warning for this case, but did conclude that the material in the law brief did not provide justification for the appeal. In such cases, the oral presentations focused on stating the validity of appeals claims may be delayed when the descriptive law brief does not meet the guidelines of the court.

Law briefs must be presented in a clear and concise format. Law briefs must also deliver a clear and concise message, founded on the basis of facts, not propaganda. The best lawyers invest time and research into the preparation of law briefs to deliver informative useful information that supports the validity of the claim. There have been instances where people have attempted to prepare their own law briefs, only to be turned away causing delayed action, when the law brief does not meet the specifications of the court.

In law school, lawyers may take courses to learn how to properly write law briefs. They may participate in continuing education courses to be kept up-to-date with new laws and relative information that supports the justification for their clients’ law suits. Failure to meet the requirements of the law and the guidelines of the court is considered flagrancy in the eyes of the law.

If you plan to see a lawyer for a potential lawsuit, it is wise to list all facts that support the validity of your claim. It is important to disclose any questionable information so that your lawyer can complete the most effective investigations to support the validity of your claim, while overcoming stumbling blocks.

If you, your family or a friend need to protect their legal rights, contact PADOVE LAW, toll free at (877) 446 5294 for a free consultation.