Legal Definitions - caption

In legal terms, a caption primarily refers to the standardized heading found at the beginning of most legal documents filed with a court. This essential introductory section provides critical identifying information about the case, ensuring that the document can be properly processed, tracked, and understood by all parties involved, including the court, attorneys, and the public.

A typical caption includes:

• The full name of the court where the document is being filed (e.g., "United States District Court for the Southern District of New York" or "Superior Court of California, County of Alameda").
• The names of the parties involved in the legal action, clearly identifying who is suing whom (e.g., "Plaintiff Name v. Defendant Name").
• The unique case number or file number assigned by the court to that specific legal dispute.
• The title or type of the document itself (e.g., "Complaint," "Answer," "Motion for Summary Judgment," "Petition for Dissolution of Marriage").
• Often, the name and contact information of the attorney or firm filing the document.

Beyond court filings, the term caption can also refer to the introductory part of other formal legal instruments, indicating where, when, and by what authority they were issued or executed.

Examples:

• Civil Lawsuit Filing: Imagine a software developer, InnovateTech Inc., decides to sue a former employee, Sarah Chen, for allegedly stealing trade secrets. When InnovateTech Inc.'s attorney drafts the initial document to start the lawsuit, known as a "Complaint," the very first page will feature a caption. This caption will clearly state "Superior Court of the State of Delaware," followed by "InnovateTech Inc., Plaintiff v. Sarah Chen, Defendant," and then "Case No. [to be assigned]" and "Complaint for Misappropriation of Trade Secrets."

  This example illustrates how the caption immediately identifies the court, the parties involved, and the nature of the legal action, allowing court staff and the defendant to quickly understand the document's purpose and context.

• Family Law Motion: Consider a divorce case that has been ongoing for several months, with the court having already assigned a case number, "DR-2022-00789." One spouse, Michael, decides to file a "Motion to Modify Child Custody" because of a change in circumstances. The document Michael's attorney files will begin with a caption. This caption will include "Family Court of the State of Arizona, Maricopa County," then "In Re: The Marriage of Michael Davis and Emily Davis," followed by the existing "Case No. DR-2022-00789," and finally "Motion to Modify Child Custody."

  Here, the caption ensures that this new request is correctly associated with the existing divorce case, providing all necessary identifiers for the court and the other party, Emily, to understand which ongoing legal matter the motion pertains to.

• Criminal Indictment: After a grand jury investigates allegations of financial fraud, they decide there is enough evidence to formally charge an individual, Mr. Arthur Jenkins. The formal document issued by the grand jury is called an "Indictment." The caption on this indictment would typically read "United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois," followed by "The United States of America v. Arthur Jenkins," then "Case No. [to be assigned by court]," and "Indictment." It would also specify that it was "Found by the Grand Jury for the Northern District of Illinois on [Date]."

  This demonstrates how a caption is used on formal legal instruments like an indictment to establish the court's jurisdiction, identify the parties (the government and the accused), and specify the authority (the grand jury) and date of its issuance, making it a clear and official record of the charges.