The Fonts of the U.S. Federal Courts
12 hours ago
- #typography
- #design
- #courts
- The Ninth Circuit Court uses Times New Roman for its decisions, which is considered a median typographic choice.
- Several other circuits (Third, Sixth, Eighth, Tenth, Eleventh) also use Times New Roman, while the First and Fourth use Courier New with full justification, which is criticized.
- The Second and Seventh Circuits use Palatino, which is seen as an improvement, especially with better margins.
- The Fifth Circuit upgraded from Century Schoolbook to Equity in 2020, receiving praise for typographic excellence.
- The U.S. Supreme Court uses Century Schoolbook consistently, with strict formatting rules for submissions, maintaining tradition over centuries.
- Historical comparisons show older Supreme Court documents had better use of small caps and more vigor, suggesting current practices could improve.
- Judge Don Willett emphasized that clear presentation of judicial opinions is crucial, as it impacts real people, justifying the focus on typography.
- There is a call for other circuit courts to improve their typographic styles to reflect the dignity and importance of their work.