New Rule Provides Good Example

The Tennessee Court of Appeals recently amended Rule 7 to require all briefs challenging the classification, division, or allocation of marital property or debt to include a table showing all property and debt considered by the trial court. The rule contains a sample table.

This rule highlights the importance of presenting information to a court in an easily digestible format. Tables, charts, and timelines are great ways to communicate complicated information in a concise and comprehensible way. When writing any brief, remember that you are not limited to text. Graphics, including pictures, can help you communicate effectively with the court.

In appellate briefs, I often begin the recitation of the facts with a graphical timeline setting out the important events. A timeline not only makes the statement of facts easier to understand, it also encourages the court to use your brief as the primary reference when working on the case--rather than scanning through your opponent's statement of facts to determine what happened when, the court will be inclined to simply flip to your timeline.