What is a brief as in a solicitor?
Asked by: Catalina Lubowitz | Last update: October 27, 2025Score: 4.4/5 (74 votes)
The word "brief" has two general meanings in legal parlance. As a noun it can be the written argument a lawyer files with a court in support of his or her client's case. As a verb (as used here), "briefing the decision" means to prepare a short summary of the court's written decision in a case.
What is a brief in legal terms?
A brief is a written argument submitted to the court. Lawyers often prepare briefs which highlight and clarify certain information or provide legal comparisons in an attempt to persuade the courtroom to rule in favor of that lawyer's client.
What is the purpose of a brief?
A brief is a written legal argument presented to the court with the purpose of convincing the judge to rule in favor of your client. A brief can take various forms based on the nature and stage of the litigation.
What is brief slang for?
2 A colloquial name for a barrister, as in “my brief is Mr Jones”. From: brief in A Dictionary of Law »
What is the difference between a brief and a pleading?
A brief is the legal argument in support of a motion or an appeal, and the term normally used in appellate practice. A pleading refers to the complaint or answer in the case. The memo of law is the legal argument with cases/statutes as applicable offered in support of the motion.
Solicitors and Barristers - a brief comparison
Why do lawyers brief a case?
Persuasive briefs (trial and appellate) are the formal documents a lawyer files with a court in support of his or her client's position. A. Case briefing helps you acquire the skills of case analysis and legal reasoning. Briefing a case helps you understand it.
What are the 3 types of pleadings?
There are several types of pleadings in civil litigation. These include complaints, which serve as the basis of the legal action, and answers, which are the responses to the complaints. There may also be counterclaims, crossclaims, and third-party claims, which are also types of pleadings.
What is a brief in UK law?
In England a brief is a document of instructions prepared by a solicitor for a barrister to follow in court. Only the barrister may appear before the high court but can act on behalf of a litigant only pursuant to instructions from a solicitor.
What is the point of a brief?
A brief can help you communicate important details to key stakeholders, including the court system or creative teams at agencies. A well-written brief can increase the likelihood that your project will be successful.
What is the slang word for lawyer?
Mouthpiece is a slang term for a lawyer, especially a criminal defense lawyer. The term stems from the view of lawyers as being the spokesperson for their client.
How long is a legal brief?
The Ideal Length: Striking a Balance
Too short, and you risk omitting crucial information; too long, and you might as well be reading the full case again. As a general rule of thumb, a well-crafted case brief should fall somewhere between one and three pages in length.
What is the aim of a brief?
The brief should define project objectives and aspirations and be clearly communicated to the project team. The briefing process is fundamental in defining the needs and expectations of the client, and requires sufficient time to be completed in collaboration with all relevant parties.
What is the definition of a brief?
a short and concise statement or written item. Synonyms: abstract, epitome, précis, outline. an outline, the form of which is determined by set rules, of all the possible arguments and information on one side of a controversy: a debater's brief.
Who writes a legal brief?
Unless you're a brand new attorney working at a solo shop that you opened yesterday, I guarantee that you are not the first person within your firm to write a legal brief. In fact, most firms have brief templates that they like associates and paralegals to use time and time again.
What is a brief answer in law?
The brief answer announces your bottom line and the legal rules and key facts that support it. You can almost bet that the first thing the assigning lawyer will do is flip to the brief answer before reading anything else. And it may be the only thing the lawyer reads.
What is another word for legal brief?
Legal memoranda are sometimes called “briefs”. The word “brief”, however, has another meaning – it refers to a short synopsis of a case. Instead of reading a 25 page case, for example, many attorneys will ask their clerks (or their associates) to summarize a case – or to “brief” the case.
Why do lawyers write briefs?
Trial briefs are presented at trial to resolve a disputed point of evidence. Legal briefs are used as part of arguing a pre-trial motion in a case or proceeding. Amicus briefs are briefs filed by persons not directly party to the case.
What is the purpose of brief?
A brief is a report to someone, either written or verbal to provide information so they are up to date on an issue and give them the information they need to know to make an informed decision for example, approve a course of action, sign a letter, ect...
What does brief mean in a court case?
The word "brief" has two general meanings in legal parlance. As a noun it can be the written argument a lawyer files with a court in support of his or her client's case. As a verb (as used here), "briefing the decision" means to prepare a short summary of the court's written decision in a case.
Is a brief the same as a pleading?
Pleadings: Written statements filed with the court that describe a party's legal or factual assertions about the case. Pleadings may include a complaint, an answer, a motion, or a brief.
Why is it called a brief?
The Meaning and Origin of 'Brief'
The French word derives from Latin brevis, nominally meaning "summary" or "short document" and adjectivally "short." Fittingly, both English words denote shortness or conciseness—chiefly in speech or writing, or in regard to time (as in "a brief description" or "a brief visit").
What is legal brief in English?
Algae, singular alga, members of a group of predominantly aquatic photosynthetic organisms of the kingdom Protista. Algae have many types of life cycles, and they range in size from microscopic Micromonas species to giant kelps that reach 60 metres (200 feet) in length.
What is the difference between a motion and a plead?
Pleadings also act as a formal appearance when the defendant answers the complaint and files it with the same court clerk. Pleadings do not ask the judge to make decisions. Motions, on the other hand, ask judges to make decisions.
What does it mean to demurrer in court?
Demur (or demurrer) refers to making a pleading that challenges the sufficiency or adequacy of pleadings of another party. Demurrers typically come in two forms: general and specific. A general demurrer challenges a broader problem with a pleading that affects all of the claims brought, such as improper venue .
What are the two basic pleadings?
Pleadings can be categorized as complaints or answers, though both have variations. A party filing a complaint is the complaining party, while the other side is the responding party. Pleadings set forth parties' positions in the action, such as allegations, claims, defenses and denials.