Indent

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When constructing a legal document, once you have agreed on a multiple-level numbering system — and you should — for God’s sake indent the different numbering levels. This at a moment discloses the structure and logic of your document. The reader can immediately see the relation of each paragraph to the others.

Most lawyers are intimidated by Microsoft Word’s automatic numbering system, and with good reason: it is fragile, capricious and easily broken. But they still use it. So should you. And once you have semantically organised your tract into a logical structure, do the world a favour and visually organise it that way too.

See also

• Paragraph numbering
• Plain English - Organise

1 LEVEL 1 1.1 Level 2: Ad hoc et seq subpoena duces tecum de jure WTF moot, due process mutatis mutandis, hereto de novo de facto ex parte affidavit aforementioned hearsay aforesaid wherefore, wherefore, wherefore, therefore, defendant in camera. (a) Level 3: Mandate schmandate defendant liability. Last will and testament compliance sneaky hobbitses. Gross negligence amended from time to time. Good thing it distracts from the content. Data subject termination agreement business days don’t talk to me, talk to my lawyer. (i) Level 4: n forma pauperis all and sundry fiduciary ad infinitum something something, per curiam abstract of title, jurisprudence wage garnishment. Wingardium Leviosa. Amicus curiae adverse possession, habeas corpus writ of certiorari as it please the court. Mero motu, mofo. (ii) Level 4: Ab initio in pari delicto locus pocus, asseblief tog focus, some other mumbo jumbo to confuse you into giving away your soul. :(b) Level 3: Res judicata ratio decidendi is something that you can’t eat, but would you want to? Malum in se pro bono, not referring to the lead singer of U2. Herein, hereto, hereof, wherefore art thou, Romeo, etcetera forever (i) Level 4: Wherefore, wherefore, wherefore, therefore, defendant in camera. Proceed directly to jail. Do not pass go, natural person. (ii) Level 4: And/or subject to our sole discretion as mentioned above so help me God. These straight left and right edges really make my work more professional. (A) Level 5: Veni, vidi, vici ad nauseam ad absurdum. (B) Level 5: Novus actus interveniens, unis, duo, cha-cha-cha. (I) Level 6: Malum in se pro bono, not referring to the lead singer of U2. (II) Level 6: Proceed directly to jail. Do not pass go, natural person. (C) Level 5: Amicus curiae adverse possession, habeas corpus writ of certiorari as it please the court. Mero motu, mofo. (I) Level 6: Ad hoc et seq subpoena duces tecum de jure WTF moot, due process mutatis mutandis, hereto de novo de facto ex parte affidavit aforementioned hearsay aforesaid wherefore, wherefore, wherefore, therefore, defendant in camera. (II) Level 6: Lorem ipsum 1.2 Level 2: Mandate schmandate defendant liability. Last will and testament compliance sneaky hobbitses. Gross negligence amended from time to time. Good thing it distracts from the content. Data subject termination agreement business days don’t talk to me, talk to my lawyer. (a) Level 3: As the case may be for the avoidance of doubt. 2. LEVEL 1: Lorem ipsum