I’m an appellate court judge with 29 years in the law. I’ve read more briefs than I can count.

Strong arguments are crucial.
But they’re not enough.

If you overtax the judge’s brain, you’re less persuasive.

Here are three tips to write for the judge’s brain instead of against it. Thread. 🧵 (1) Master the Zen of blank space.

The Japanese call it Ma—the power of empty space.

Words gain strength from the silence around them.

A page without paragraph breaks looks like dental surgery to a busy judge. See below.

Blank space isn’t wasted. It’s invisible energy that makes your writing pop.

I’m an appellate court judge.

I’ve read thousands of briefs.

Here’s what no one told you about persuasion and how to win. Thread. Judges check page length before reading a word.

• Long brief? We read faster and with less attention.
• Short brief? We slow down and pay closer attention.

Brevity signals confidence. Most lawyers have it backwards.