Law work
As law work is executed in one uniform manner, and there are so many peculiarities connected with it, a few directions may save much time and trouble to the compositor. The names of parties to a suit are generally in Italic (except in newspapers), and the authorities, where the case is reported in Roman, contracted. If the name of the case is adduced in the argument, the authority follows in parentheses; but if the case is added parenthetically, of course the whole is enclosed within the appropriate symbols. Examples of both will clearly explain the plan to be adopted in each case by the compositor.
In Thomas v. Waller (4 Corb. & D. 61) and Jones v. Peterson (Adol. & El. 703), the matter is fully and satisfactorily reported.
An action of this nature must be brought within the time specified (Reg. v. Kesterton, 13 Co. Litt. 76), otherwise it will fail.
Here, the reader will observe, the short and (&) is always employed, and there is no comma after the full stop, between the authority and the page. The short and is also uniformly employed in reciting the years of the reign of any monarch in which an Act of Parliament was passed—thus: 15 & 16 Geo. 3, c. 21, with Arabic numerals after the name, and not Roman capital letters, which would be too cumbersome, and not half so clear. In all instances of this sort the figures should never be separated at the end of a line from that to which they belong; nor should the constituent parts of what forms but one portion of the reference. Thus, in the instance given above, 15 Geo. be separated from the accompanying 3; nor c. from 21. Nor, in like manner, the letters denoting any office, such as Cockburn, C.J., where the C. and J. should always be in the same line. And so in all other cases. To do otherwise would be extremely unsightly.
When a number of authorities are given, with the reports where found, each case is separated from the following one by a semicolon, in the following manner, if they depend or read on with what has been previously said. Thus: “The authorities on which I rely (12 and 13 Car. 2, c. 14, s. 6; Bell v. Bradfoot, 6 T. R. 721; Cook v. Jonas, 2 B. and A. 433) are conclusive on this point.” But if they do not so depend, or do not form an interposed parenthetical sentence, a full-stop may well be employed.
There are some peculiarities about the printing of Chancery Bills that should be noted. The punctuation of these documents may be the same as is used in ordinary bookwork—a plan now sensibly encouraged by many eminent lawyers; or, a full-point only may be placed at the end of the sentences, and no other point whatever used. Or, they may be altogether unpointed. Whichever plan is adopted due written notice should be given to the compositor or clicker when the copy is placed in his hands. Capital initial letters are used only in proper names, and in the following similar instances:—
The names of public officers, as Her Majesty’s Attorney-General, Solicitor-General, Master (in Chancery), his Honor, &c.; the names of public funds or stocks, as Consols, Consolidated Bank Annuities, the said £3 per Centum Bank Annuities, Exchequer Bills. Also, the Bank (when speaking of the Bank of England), the Court (of law, &c.), Honorable Court, the High Court of Chancery, the Government (when alluding to the Government of the country), Home Government, Colonial Government, Acts of Parliament, Bill of Complaint, Will, Plaintiff and Defendant, and the words Company and Society, whenever referring to a company or society being either Plaintiffs or Defendants. Contractions of words are only to be observed in original documents. Elsewhere, Co., Dft., Plf., No., and similar words must be in full. Dates and sums of money, terms of years, and quantities of land, to be in figures. Copies of, or extracts from agreements, indentures, letters, &c., to follow copy as to spelling, contractions, punctuation, and in every other respect as near practible. Not a point to be inserted in any part of the Bill without special instructions, except in note at the end, or where names of Plaintiffs and Defendants are run on, in which case divide names by commas. Proper names must never be divided.
Law work
As law work is executed in one uniform manner, and there are so many peculiarities connected with it, a few directions may save much time and trouble to the compositor. The names of parties to a suit are generally in Italic (except in newspapers), and of the authorities, where the case is reported in Roman, contracted. If the name of the case is adduced hi the argument, the authority follows in parentheses; but if the case is added parenthetically, of course the whole is enclosed within the appropriate symbols. Examples of both will clearly explain the plan to be adopted in each case by the compositor.
In Thomas v. Waller (4 Corb. & D. 61) and Jones v. Peterson (Adol. & El. 703), the matter is fully and satisfactorily reported.
An action of this nature must be brought within the time specified (Reg. v. Kesterton, 13 Co. Litt. 76), otherwise it will fail.
Here, the reader will observe, the short and (&) is always employed, and there is no comma after the full stop between the authority and the page. The short and is also uniformly employed in reciting the years of the reign of any monarch in which an Act of Parliament was passed— thus: 15 & 16 Geo. 3, c. 21, with Arabic numerals after the name, and not Roman capital letters, which would be too cumbersome, and not half so clear. In all instances of this sort the figures should never be separated at the end of a line from that to which they belong; nor should the constituent parts of what forms but one portion of the reference. Thus, in the instance given above, 15 should not end a line, and the next begin with &; neither should Geo. be separated from the accompanying 3; nor c. from 21. Nor, in like manner, the letters denoting any office, such as Cockburn, C.J., where the C. and J. should always be in the same line. And so in all other cases. To do otherwise w'ould be extremely unsightly.
When a number of authorities are given, with the reports where found, each case is separated from the following one by a semicolon, in the following manner, if they depend or read on with what has been previously said. Thus: “The authorities on which I rely (12 and 13 Car. 2, c. 14, s. 6; Bell v. Bradfoot, 6 T. R. 721; Cook v. Jonas, 2 B. and A. 433) are conclusive on this point.” But if they do not so depend, or do not form an interposed parenthetical sentence, a full-stop may well be employed.
There are some peculiarities about the printing of Chancery Bills that should be noted. The punctuation of these documents may be the same as used in ordinary book work—a plan now sensibly encouraged by many eminent lawyers; or, a full-point only may be placed at the end of the sentences, and no other point whatever used. Or, they may be altogether unpointed. Whichever plan is adopted due written notice should be given to the compositor or clicker when the copy is placed in his hands. Capital initial letters are used only in proper names, and in the following and similar instances:—
The names of public officers, as Her Majesty’s Attorney-General, Solicitor-General, Master (in Chancery), his Honour, &c.; the names of public funds or stocks, as Consols, Consolidated Bank Annuities, the said £3 per Centum Bank Annuities, Exchequer Bills. Also, the Bank (when speaking of the Bank of England), the Court (of law, &c.). Honourable Court, the High Court of Chancery, ,the Government (when alluding to the Government of the country). Home Government, Colonial Government, Acts of Parliament, Bill of Complaint, Will, Plaintiff and Defendant, and the words Company and Society, whenever referring to a company or society being either Plaintiffs or Defendants. Contractions of words are only to be observed in original documents. Elsewhere, Co., Dft., Plf., No., and similar words must be in full. Dates and sums of money, terms of years, and quantities of land to be in figures. Copies of, or extracts from agreements, indentures, letters, &c., to follow copy as to spelling, contractions, punctuation, and in every other respect as near as practicable. Not a point to be inserted in any part of the Bill without special instructions, except in note at the end, or where names of Plaintiffs and Defendants are run on, in which case divide names by commas. Proper names must never be divided.