Seth Wilson: Set up Microsoft Word to comply with Trial Rule 10

In my last article on Microsoft Word, we discussed using lines and paragraphs and how to format them. I also introduced what I call Microsoft Word’s Automatic Behavior Controls (ABCs), and how those can both be helpful and frustrating.

In this article, I’ll show you how to use the Styles ABC to consistently format your documents to comply with the 2025 Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure (see, Rule 10, available at: https://rules.incourts.gov/Content/trial/rule10/current.htm).

If you open a new Microsoft Word document, the current default font is Aptos. Though updated just this year, the list of approved fonts in the Indiana Rules of Trial Procedure, does not include Aptos. Rule 10(C). This is problem number one. While you can change the default font in Microsoft Word following these steps in these two articles (https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/change-the-default-font-in-word-2f50603b-9886-47e4-a483-48ac5ab80163 or https://www.theindianalawyer.com/articles/43291-start-page-microsoft-word-for-the-legal-profession-format-defaults), I recommend setting up a Styles document template that you can use to “hold” your default font, spacing and other preferences.

First, revise the built-in “Normal” style to use one of the rule-approved fonts: “Arial, Baskerville, Book Antiqua, Bookman, Bookman Old Style, Century, Century Schoolbook, Calisto MT, CG Times, Garamond, Georgia, New Baskerville, New Century Schoolbook, Palatino, or Times New Roman.”

Create a blank Word document. Click “Save,” and change the file format to Word Template.dotx. Name the Template and save it.

Now, type the word “Normal.” Click on the Styles menu in the Ribbon and find the “Normal” style. Right-click on the “Normal” style and select “Modify.” Under Formatting, select your preferred and compliant font. While you are here, make sure the font size is set to at least 12-point. (Rule 10(C)). Click OK. Now, check your work. The word “Normal” in your template should be in your selected font and font size. Whenever you use this “Normal” style in your document, the font selection (e.g., Century Schoolbook) and font size (i.e., 12) will be the same. Note, we did not change the spacing yet.

While setting default font sizes, set the default footnote text size and spacing. Insert a footnote after the word Normal in your template. For the footnote reference, type “This is a footnote.” If you look at the font size for the footnote text, by default, it will likely be 10-point font.

Rule 10(C) requires that “typeface must be 12-point or larger in both body text and footnotes.” (Emphasis added). Also, 10(C) requires that footnotes be single-spaced and single-spaced lines must be separated by at least 4-point spaces.

Edit the “Footnote Text” style to ensure the font size is 12 points. Find that style in the Styles menu. Right click and select “Modify.” Change the font size to 12. Before closing that window, click Format, Paragraph, line spacing, at least, 4-point.

The next step is to set your default spacing to match with Rule 10(D)’s requirements. Return to your template file. After the word “Normal”, press Return/Enter to create a new line. Type “Default Spacing.”

Now, open the Styles pane (click the small arrow next to the Styles button in the Ribbon). Click “Create New Style.” Enter a name for the new style (“Default Spacing”). In the lower left corner of the Styles menu, click “Format” and then “Paragraph.”

In the Paragraph dialog box, set the desired line spacing. Rule 10 requires that “[a]ll text must be double-spaced… .” Recall that Microsoft Word’s default double spacing is not true double spacing, so be sure to set the appropriate line spacing (at least 24 points). Click OK. Then, set the Style for the following paragraph to “Default Spacing” to ensure that once this style is applied, it automatically applies to the next paragraph.

Note, you might want to set up a first line indent for the start of each paragraph as part of this style as well. You would modify the style, format, paragraph, indentation, special, first line (0.5). Now, each paragraph will automatically start with an indented first line.

While we are adjusting indents, another style you will need is a block quote. Trial Rule 10(D) states that “footnotes, tables, charts, or similar material and text that is blocked and indented must be single-spaced. Single-spaced lines must be separated by at least 4-point spaces.”

Create a new style named “Block Quote.” Set the style for the following paragraph to Default Spacing. Click Format, Paragraph, Indentation, Left 0.5, Right 0.5, Spacing, Before (12 point), and set the line spacing to at least 4-point fonts.

Make sure the margins are 1” and you edit the footer to insert page numbers. Now, your template file should be set up. Save and close. When you want to use that template, double click that file to open a new blank Word document with your defaults already set up.•

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Seth R. Wilson is an attorney with Adler Attorneys in Noblesville. In addition to practicing law, he helps manage the day-to-day technology operations of the firm. He writes about legal technology at sethrwilson.com and is a frequent speaker on the subject.