Tabs, Tables, Columns

Unless a client indicates otherwise, default tabs should be used. Please work with your Show/Hide turned on, so you can see your formatting marks. When you insert a tab, you will see an arrow:

Custom tabs

Custom tabs should not be used, unless they are set up in a client's template (or the client specifically asks for them). Otherwise, please use only default tab settings.

To remove unwanted custom tabs, hit Select All so that the entire document is highlighted. Go into your Paragraph menu, click on Tabs at the bottom of that screen, and then click on Clear All, and OK out.

All of the custom tabs will be removed, leaving only default tabs.

Tables

If the client asks for information to be put into three or more columns, a table is required even if the client doesn't say "chart" or "table". Note that this is only the case when the client requests or describes columns. If the client dictates information that could be put into columns, but the client doesn't request/describe columns or ask for a template including columns or a table, narrative format (standard heading/paragraph format) should be used instead. See Deposition Summaries for examples of this.

Table borders should be visible, unless:

The client specifically requests no borders;
The client asks that you do not use a table, but a table is required per the OLH; or
A template requested by the client contains a table with no borders.

Please do not center items in a table unless client asks for it. Our default of left justification should be used, unless client or client template indicate otherwise.

If the client dictates a job requiring more than two columns but specifically requests that you not use a table, please do use a table (with the borders removed), and insert the following explanatory language into the document: [Due to MS Word limitations, this job cannot be done without a table.]

Columns

If the request is for two columns of information, where there is no word wrap involved, please create the columns using Word’s default tabs. Do not set custom tabs.

If the client requests two columns with a short left-hand column (such as a date or page number) and a narrative on the right containing multiple lines, use a hanging indent to form the columns (unless the client requests a table specifically). See Date/Time Report formatting.

If both columns require word wrap for multiple lines of text, then a table must be used.