When Should the Word “Court” Be Capitalized

Dear 1L, When should the word “court” be capitalized?

Here are the rules, and I’ve also attached a chart you can save, print, and pin on your wall.*

RULES:

In addition to capitalizing the word “court” whenever you write out its full, formal name (obviously), only 3 other situations require or permit you to capitalize that word:

1–Always capitalize the word “court” when it refers to the United States Supreme Court, regardless of where your case is pending.

2-If you are in a state court in the state of A, you must capitalize the word “court” when referring to state A’s highest court.

3-Always capitalize the word “court” when referring to your court IN YOUR CASE.

📌 DO NOT CAPITALIZE OTHER COURTS: Beyond the above-three situations, do not capitalize “court” unless writing out the full, proper name of that court.

*N.B. There are 2 question marks in the attached chart. I would write “lowercase” there, but some lawyers have a different practice, so I advise you to ask your professor specifically what they want in those two situations.

Please let me know what questions you might have. The above issue seems to trip up a lot of folks.

Hope you’re hanging in ok.

I am thinking of you always.

Fondly,

💌 Amanda

🗳️ Litigators: When referring to your court (a non-highest court) in another case, do you capitalize?

E.g. Your case is pending in SDNY before Judge A.

You refer to a SDNY case by Judge A in ANOTHER case.

Do you capitalize “court”?


#Dear1L
#DearLegalWriter