Legal Research & Writing
Brief (Legal Writing)
A written argument submitted to a court, setting out the facts and the law and persuading the court to rule for one side. Not to be confused with a summary of a case.
Related Concepts
See Brief (Legal Writing) on the Map of Legal Ideas, with our articles, lessons and case briefs →
This definition explains general legal terminology for educational purposes. It is not legal advice, and exact meanings and requirements can vary by jurisdiction. For guidance on a specific situation, consult a licensed attorney.
Take it further
A whole chapter of black-letter law on one printable page. Free sample.
Find the law and write about it clearly.
72 editable templates: leases, wills, agreements, notices and more.
Support this free tool
This guide is free, and it takes a lot of careful work to build and keep up to date. If it helped you, you can leave a small contribution. No account is needed, and nothing is sold to you.
A one-time card payment through Stripe. It is a contribution, not a purchase, and it is not tax-deductible.