Do Not Capitalize Legal Document Names in Running Text
Capitalization
Rulebase Summary
Do not capitalize the words deposition, interrogatories, motion, petition, stipulation, will, and other legal document names when they appear in the running text of a transcript. These are common nouns describing types of documents, not proper nouns.
Examples
A. I signed the Stipulation on March 15th.
A. I signed the stipulation on March 15th.
Stipulation is a common noun in running text — do not capitalize it.
Q. Did you review the Deposition before today's hearing?
Q. Did you review the deposition before today's hearing?
Legal document names like deposition are lowercased in the running text of a transcript.
Transcript Notes
Do NOT capitalize the words 'deposition,' 'interrogatories,' 'motion,' 'petition,' 'stipulation,' 'will,' and other words like these when they are used in running text (I will read from the deposition; I have the answers to interrogatories, and I will read Interrogatory No. 3; the last will and testament). These are common nouns in context, not titles. The capitalized form is reserved for actual document headings or when the name is preceded by 'marked,' 'labeled,' 'entitled,' or similar.
Style Guide References (1)
Morson's