What line spacing are legal letters?
Asked by: Mr. Miles Morissette DDS | Last update: June 10, 2025Score: 4.9/5 (50 votes)
Legal documents typically use 1.5 or double line spacing to help add white space and improve readability. Using wider spacing also makes it easier to mark up draft copies, since you'll have room to write directly on the page. To set your line spacing in Word, go to Layout, then select Paragraph.
What is the best spacing for legal documents?
The ideal line spacing is 120--145% of your font size. That is, if you are using a 12-point font, you should set your line spacing between 14.4 and 17.4. Personally, for my out-of-court documents, I use 15-point spacing.
Are legal letters double spaced?
Double-spacing is the standard for the body of the document. Single spacing may be used for certain elements such as block quotes, footnotes, and captions.
What is the standard format for legal documents?
All documents submitted to California courts must adhere to the standard 8.5 x 11 inches dimensions. This size applies regardless of whether the document is filed electronically or in hard copy.
What are the margins for a legal letter?
You'll want to start with a standard page size (8.5 x 11 inches) with 1-inch margins. Keep the font simple, such as Times New Roman, and avoid the use of color. Remember to break up text with headers and paragraphs for readability.
Word: Line and Paragraph Spacing
What is the line spacing for a legal letter?
Legal documents typically use 1.5 or double line spacing to help add white space and improve readability. Using wider spacing also makes it easier to mark up draft copies, since you'll have room to write directly on the page. To set your line spacing in Word, go to Layout, then select Paragraph.
What is the standard margin for an official letter?
Typically margins are about 1 inch (25.4 mm) on all sides of the document, which is the default setting for most word-processing programs. If you are using Microsoft Word, you can turn to its built-in Letter Wizard for additional formatting assistance (look on the Tools menu).
What size is a legal document letter?
The simplest way to explain the difference between legal and letter-sized paper is that legal paper is sized at 8.5 x14 inches and letter paper is sized at 8.5 x 11.
What is the font size for legal documents?
Most courts and lawyers recommend using a 12-point font for legal documents. That's large enough for anyone to be able to read and still small enough that you can fit plenty of information on a single page.
What is the proper formatting for documents?
A standard, professional font (e.g., Times New Roman, Cambria, Calibri) Single or 0.15 line spacing, with no indentation on the first line of the paragraph. Additional line break between paragraphs. Left-justified body text.
What is the spacing for official letters?
The most common layout of a business letter is known as block format. Using this format, the entire letter is left justified and single spaced except for a double space between paragraphs. Another widely utilized format is known as modified block format.
What is the rule 2.108 spacing and numbering of lines?
The spacing and numbering of lines on a page must be as follows: (1) The lines on each page must be one and one-half spaced or double-spaced and numbered consecutively. (2) Descriptions of real property may be single-spaced.
Why do lawyers use double space?
The reason was to create a visual break so that it would be easier to see the beginning of each new sentence. Many attorneys who learned to follow the two-space rule still insist on two spaces.
What is the legal rule spacing?
Wide ruled (or legal ruled) paper has 11⁄32 in (8.7 mm) spacing between horizontal lines, with a vertical margin drawn about 1+1⁄4 inches (32 mm) from the left-hand edge of the page. It is commonly used by American children in grade school, as well as by those with larger handwriting.
What is the best letter spacing?
Adhering to guidelines set by organizations like the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), which recommend letter spacing of at least 0.12 times the font size, helps ensure that digital content is accessible to a broader range of users.
What is the official spacing in documents?
Line spacing in business writing
Likewise, the proper cover letter format recommends either single or 1.15 spacing, also with an extra empty line between paragraphs. However, if you're writing a long-form business document, like a report, you should consider double spacing.
What is the line spacing for legal documents?
Most legal documents use 1.5 or double-spacing.
What font do most lawyers use?
- Century Schoolbook.
- Georgia.
- Baskerville.
- Bookman Old Style.
- Times New Roman alternatives like Equity, Tiempos, and Verdigris.
What is the best font for official letters?
Bearing this in mind, when looking for the best font to use for a formal letter, I found that the top spot had to go to the people choice 'Times New Roman'. Times New Roman is a very common choice for most people and happens to be the default font for most electronic devices.
What is the size of a formal document letter?
It measures 8.5 by 11 inches (215.9 by 279.4 mm) and is similar in use to the A4 paper standard at 210 mm × 297 mm (8.27 in × 11.7 in) used by most other countries, defined in ISO 216 by the International Organization for Standardization.
What size is a legal envelope?
You will normally find that legal-sized envelopes are used for legal documents that have 8 ½ inches by 14 inches dimensions. Most legal envelopes measure 9 ½ inches by 15 inches so that they will easily accommodate legal documents.
What is the spacing for a formal letter?
Spacing: Single-space your letter, and leave a space between each paragraph. Use one-inch margins and align your text to the left. 2 Leave an extra space after the salutation, before the closing, and before and after your handwritten signature in a printed letter.
What are ideal margins for letter?
Use standard margins (one-inch margins, usually). Can use smaller margins (to about 0.7-inch) as long as you are consistent on all sides.
What is the font size for an official letter?
Your letter should be typed in around 10, 11 or 12 pt type which is the standard text size for the recommended typefaces. Don't be tempted to reduce the font size to fit more information on the page. If your letter is too long for 10pt type on one side of A4, your letter is too long.