legal brief
6
6.6
- noun
- /ˈliːɡəl briːf/
- Formal
:
escrito legal
- Before the trial, each attorney must prepare their legal brief to present their side of the argument.
- file a legal brief
- write legal briefs
- prepare legal briefs
Examples
-
The unsigned decision, based on legal briefs, had no recorded dissent.
Blog text (32) -
The judge reviewed the legal brief carefully to ensure all relevant facts were included.
-
Invite legal briefs from outside experts.
Academic text (2001) -
Andrew is wearing a Walkman, the source of the classical music, and he's reading a legal brief.
Fiction book (1993) -
So, who's preparing the legal briefs for the next big trial on the NA's side?
Blog text (28) -
Lawyers are by nature in the business of persuasive language, and quote-mining and cherry-picking are quite normal when writing legal briefs.
Blog text (26) -
The left hemisphere is apparently the one we call upon for sensible, logical writing—the grocery list, the letter to the editor, the legal brief.
Academic text (2010) -
Under the new legislation, a three-person claims commission would review legal briefs and other evidence presented by tribes and make binding judgments on the merits of each case.
Academic text (1991) -
By 1892, when Adventists entered the debate over the Sunday closing of the Chicago World Exposition, their involvement included petitions to both Houses, the reading of papers before congressional committees, and the presentation of legal briefs in court.
Academic text (1998) -
The lawyer submitted a thorough legal brief that outlined the key arguments for the case.
Synonyms
62
7.6
A written document that explains the facts and law of a case for court
18
3.1
An official paper that records an agreement, right, or contract
1
9.9
A written paper from a person or organization not involved in the case that gives the court information
A written paper lawyers file in an appeal to show facts and legal arguments
How Detailed
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'legal' (pertaining to law) modifies 'brief' (a short written summary or document), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a short written legal document submitted in a case. This follows a common modifier+noun pattern and corresponds to similar constructions in many languages, making the phrase readily understandable from its parts.
Etymology
Legal brief comes from the word brief, which originally meant a short written paper. Long ago, lawyers gave judges a short paper with the facts and main reasons for their side, so today legal brief means 'a short written argument or summary for a court case'.