Posted by BrendaTx on 4/30/07 4:42pm
Msg #188082

OT - Typing "Briefs" on WordPerfect 9.0 / Ms Word

If any of you kind and gracious paralegals or legal assistants out there have a MS Word or WP template (or point me to a source) for a brief with a table of contents, a table of authority...etc. I would really appreciate some assistance.

I am just not that good wid' all that "faincy" stuff.

PM me or email me.

Reply by cara on 4/30/07 5:05pm
Msg #188093

Brenda, you probably should where they are being submitted (which court State or Federal). Each court can have it's set of local rules that specifies font, margins, Lined paper or not, etc. You would be safer getting a template from a doc filed correctly in the court you are going to file in. I have never filed in Texas, but CA, CO and WY all had very different rules as to state vs federal court.

Also, you would be better off getting a WP doc if you are using WP or a WORD doc if you are using Word, since some goofy (and very annoying things can happen in the translation). When I did temp work, I never had a problem finding a template/sample document on the hard drive of the firm or legal department where I was working. If all else fails, go to courhouse and copy one! Good luck.

Reply by BrendaTx on 4/30/07 5:14pm
Msg #188096

You are 100% right. It's very stringent on how the margins et al are set up.

To say more on the forum might be saying too much, but I have the bases covered you have mentioned. (:>

Thank you for your response tho!

Reply by MikeC/NY on 4/30/07 6:40pm
Msg #188122

Brenda -

Word does tables of authority for you, you don't need a template. You need to go through your document and mark the citations (use the Insert menu, click on Reference, then Index and Tables. On the Table of Authorities tab is a button where you can mark the citation). Once you've marked them, you can insert the table wherever you want in your document.

Same deal for table of contents - you need to mark the items, then generate the table.

WordPerfect had that ability long before Word did, but I haven't used WP in years.

PM or email me if you need more help.

Reply by BrendaTx on 4/30/07 6:59pm
Msg #188126

Thanks, Mike. I am getting the picture. If you don't mind, I just might email you and/or Cara.

Cara's input is welcomed as well!

I was a WP whiz ten years ago when I had the famous 5.1 version/dos based. I loved it. I have never been able to snuggle up the windows version.

I can use MSWord (use it by preference) and will take a look at that. I usually do fine with both of them for every day pleadings and/or the usual things I do.

What I am doing is different that my usual day to day and a learning curve will be needed...and you know how it is...there's not that many moments in the day for learning curves in super busy office.

I appreciate the input very, very much.

Thanks to all who put their ten cents in before or later!

Reply by MikeC/NY on 4/30/07 9:08pm
Msg #188163

Hey Brenda -

I used WP when they were still called Satellite Software International and had just started with a version on the PC - that has to be about 20 years ago! Took me a while to make the switch to Word, but I'm comfortable with it.

If you're using Word, check the Help for info on tables of authorities. Once you get the hang of it, it goes quickly - mark your cites, then generate the table. I've done briefs using it, and it really makes it easy to do. Send up a flare if you need help...

Reply by BrendaTx on 4/30/07 9:13pm
Msg #188164

Mike, I definitely will. I appreciate your guidance.

Reply by sue_pa on 5/1/07 1:40pm
Msg #188285

Can't help you Brenda. I've actually got no idea what MIke's talking about. The last time I typed a brief I used a typewriter and had to 1/2 roll the paper to do the cites.

I know what you mean abuot a learning curve. I sometimes wonder if all these well meaning 'signing agents' out here in 'signing agent world' put us all out of business, how in the world would I cope in a modern office - don't think I could - I'll have to be at Hardees making fries.

Reply by MikeC/NY on 5/1/07 10:26pm
Msg #188368

Re: The last time I typed a brief I used a typewriter...

But that's so 20th Century...

Seriously, both WordPerfect and Word make this very easy to do. WordPerfect had the ability to do tables of authority even before Windows existed; they flubbed the conversion from DOS to Windows, and they were never able to catch up after that.

There's not much of a learning curve - you just need to be able to tag your cites properly, and the software does all the rest automagically....