Briefs transcription must be done with as much care, concentration and effort as would be required for writing one. A brief is a very important aspect of the case, and reliable transcription is essential for further use by courts and attorneys.
For new attorneys, filing a brief isn’t easy since it requires a good deal of experience to master the art. What it takes is to have a feel for what needs to, and need not, be included. With effective transcription by experts, transcripts of other documents such as client letters, interrogations, pleadings and court proceedings can be used to create a flawless brief.
Creating a Brief
It is important to realize, for new attorneys, what to include and not include in a brief. It could make the difference. It is important to make a compelling argument, but wasted words and unnecessary detailing can make a court filing waste too much of the judge’s time.
As you know, brevity and simplicity are important for a brief while all procedural criteria must also be met.
Homework before the Brief Preparation
A brief involves a good deal of planning and preparation, before the creation:
- Firstly, it is important to go through every aspect of the case file including communications with your client. These are all details that can help you clearly identify legal issues affecting the case.
- The next step involves reviewing the court record which would contain pleadings that have been filed, including original complaint, response to the complaint, cross-complaints, etc. It is an opportunity to understand the position of your opponent, glean the facts, and also find out if there are any legal issues.
- All this examination will give you a whole lot of facts to deal with. It’s time to create a fact list and mark facts that are particularly advantageous or disadvantageous to your case. It is also important that you note the source of each of the facts you’ve included in the list.
All these facts might give you new topics to research. Experienced attorneys know that they must identify relevant legal issues to research. Research can help prepare the brief more effectively.
Preparing the Brief
Once all the fact gathering and intense legal research is done, it is time to begin the brief:
- As you know, appellate briefs are longer and have strict procedural requirements. Trial briefs do not usually conform to any set format but vary based on the type of motion they support and the court where they are submitted. Each court has its own formatting requirements.
- The brief must contain a “Summary of Argument” section, which is a summarized version of the argument containing the most crucial and compelling elements of your argument. However, trial briefs usually do not contain the argument summary section.
- The “Argument” is what the brief is all about. As you realize, this is where your skills come up in analyzing the applicable law and applying the legal principles. It is important to be succinct in this section, without omitting vital details.
Once you’re done with the preparation, make sure you proofread and edit your brief. This is very important when you consider that the fate of your client and your reputation are at stake.
Outsourcing transcription of briefs can help reduce the burden for attorneys, since they already have a lot to think of while creating a brief. Briefs transcription by reliable legal transcription companies is carried out with much care, since a great deal of effort by attorneys goes into preparing their case.
