The Fonts of the U.S. Federal Courts

a day ago

The Ninth Circuit court uses Times New Roman font for its decisions, which is a median typographic choice.
Several U.S. circuit courts, including the Third, Fourth, Sixth, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh, use Times New Roman, while the First Circuit uses Courier New with full justification, and the Second and Seventh use Palatino.
The Fifth Circuit upgraded to Matthew Butterick's Equity font in 2020, improving typography and margins, setting a higher standard.
The U.S. Supreme Court uses Century Schoolbook font, maintaining consistent typographic style for over a century, as required by court rules for submissions.
Historical comparisons show older Supreme Court documents had better use of small caps and more vigor, inspiring current courts to aim for similar quality.
Judge Don Willett emphasized that clear presentation of opinions is crucial, as it impacts real-world lives and livelihoods.
The author advocates for all federal courts to improve typographic styles to reflect professionalism and clarity.

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