In legal writing, what is a "caption" primarily used for?

In legal writing, a "caption" serves the crucial purpose of specifying the court and the parties involved in a case. It acts as the heading of a legal document, such as a complaint or a motion, and typically includes essential information such as the name of the court, the title of the case (the names of the parties), and the case number. This structured format allows for immediate identification of the document's context and relevance within the broader legal proceedings.

The caption is vital because it sets the stage for the content that follows, ensuring that legal documents are properly attributed and can be correctly filed in relation to specific cases. This helps the court, legal professionals, and interested parties quickly ascertain the nature of the case and the involved parties, which facilitates legal proceedings and communication.

In contrast, options like listing witnesses or detailing outcomes of previous cases pertain to other parts of legal writing and are not the primary function of a caption. Providing a brief overview of the case is also not the main role of a caption; rather, this might be included in a summary or a memorandum accompanying the legal document.