The Volokh Conspiracy
Mostly law professors | Sometimes contrarian | Often libertarian | Always independent
"Bottom Line Up Front"
I just came across this section heading in a federal filing; an excerpt:
The principle that one should include at the very beginning a quick summary of what the filer is asking for and why is familiar; usually the Introduction or Summary of Argument does that. But this is the first time I've seen it expressly labeled that way, and it turns out to be fairly common at least in federal courts in the Western District of North Carolina, likely because of this Standing Order:
A memorandum of law shall always state the "Bottom Line Up Front" – that is, the introductory paragraph(s) shall: (i) identify with particularity each issue in dispute; (ii) concisely (i.e., in one or two sentences) state why the party should prevail on the issue, directing the Court's attention to what the party believes to be the controlling legal authority or critical fact in contention; and (iii) if applicable, state the remedy or relief sought.
Always interesting to see the slightly different rules and practices (even if just as to labeling) that emerge in different courts.
