Legal Definitions - Memorandum

A memorandum is a written document that provides a summary and analysis of relevant laws based onlegal research to support a conclusion on a particular legal issue. It is usually organized and comprehensive, and includes:

• A description of the factual background of the subject case or fact pattern
• A statement of the legal issues to be discussed
• An introduction of the relevant laws
• An analysis of how the law should apply to specific facts
• A conclusion

For example, in court proceedings, attorneys may be asked by courts to submit memoranda to convince the court how relevant law and case holdings support their arguments on particular issues. These memoranda are often called persuasive memos. Attorneys are required to cite every legal resource mentioned in the memo according to the local rules of the court.

Overall, a memorandum is a useful tool for lawyers to organize their legal arguments and provide a clear and concise analysis of the relevant laws and facts in a case.