Law Practice,
Appellate Practice
Feb. 15, 2023
Shorter is better
Briefs within the current California limits – 14,000 words for principal briefs and 28,000 words for combined briefs in a cross-appeal – are often too long and would be far more effective if shortened.
David M. Axelrad
Partner
Horvitz & Levy LLP
Email: daxelrad@horvitzlevy.com
UC Hastings COL; San Francisco CA
Admonitions about the importance of brevity in legal writing are legion. And yet, all too often, appellate writing is burdened by "wordiness," defined by some as "trying to convey too much information and covering too many issues." (Federal Judicial Center, Judicial Writing Manual: A Pocket Guide for Judges (2nd ed. 2013) p. 21.)
Years ago, I encountered a set of appellate briefs (on file with the author) that illustrate the problem and he...
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