Paralegal Certification PrepLegal Research and WritingHard
A senior attorney asks a paralegal to prepare a 'table of authorities' for a persuasive brief. What is the primary function of a table of authorities in a legal brief?
- ATo list all legal authorities cited in the brief, categorized and with page references.
- BTo summarize the main arguments presented in the brief.
- CTo serve as an index for key terms and concepts within the brief.
- DTo provide a chronological list of all facts mentioned in the brief.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. To list all legal authorities cited in the brief, categorized and with page references.
A table of authorities (TOA) is a mandatory component of most appellate and complex trial court briefs. It lists every legal authority cited in the brief (cases, statutes, regulations, secondary sources), organized by category, and includes the page numbers where each authority appears.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. The summary of arguments is usually in the summary of argument section or the conclusion.
- C. An index lists key terms, not cited authorities.
- D. This describes a factual chronology, not a table of authorities.
Table of Authorities (TOA)
A section in a legal brief listing all cited legal authorities, organized by type, with references to the page numbers where they appear in the brief.
- Mandatory in most appellate briefs.
- Organized by categories (e.g., cases, statutes, regulations).
- Helps the court quickly locate cited authorities.
Memory trick: The 'Table of Authorities' is the 'Tracker' of all 'Trusted' 'Texts'.