Justice Michael B. Hyman of the Illinois Appellate Court – and one of the Illinois Bar Journal’s regular columnists – has had enough of bold, underlined, italicized, and ALL-CAPPED words and phrases. Don’t even get him started on redundant exclamation points!!! 

We all may agree that such stylizations are all too common in our emails, texts, and social media posts. But Justice Hyman says such bad habits are making their way into legal documents meant to sway his opinion. In his June "Judging Your Writing" column, the justice – in no uncertain terms – says this isn’t a good idea. 

“It should go without saying, but just in case: Never EVER combine boldface, underlining, italics, and ALL CAPS. NEVER,” the justice warns. “(Come on now, did bolding, underlining, italicizing, and CAPITALIZING “ever” give the word added gravitas that a single technique wouldn’t have?) Blending two or more techniques IS the equivalent of YELLING while jumping UP AND DOWN on a pogo stick. ABSOLUTELY AVOID it in all legal writing.”

Read his entire column to fully appreciate his point in the June edition of the Illinois Bar Journal.