Legal briefs are different from other legal papers in a few important ways:

1. Purpose:
   Legal briefs try to convince the court to make a certain decision.
   On the other hand, documents like motions and pleadings mainly just inform the court or ask for some action.

2. Structure:
   A typical legal brief usually has these parts:

   • Caption: This shows who is involved and which court the case is in.
   • Table of Contents: Most effective briefs (about 90%) use this to help organize information.
   • Statement of Facts: This part (around 70%) gives a clear summary of the important facts.
   • Argument: In this section, about 75% of briefs build their arguments using examples from past cases and laws. They often follow a format called IRAC, which stands for Issue, Rule, Application, and Conclusion.
   • Conclusion: This wraps up the brief by stating what the writer wants the court to do.

3. Length:
   Legal briefs are usually between 15 to 50 pages long.
   In comparison, contracts can be over 100 pages. This shows that briefs are meant to be clear and to the point.

4. Citations:
   Legal briefs often refer to case law and statutes, making up about 80% of their references.