[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":3,"doc-seo-246801-105":53,"doc-detail-246801-en":127},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,14,19,24,29,34,39,44,49],{"id":8,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":11,"show_sort_weight":12,"slug":13},11,1,"Template","Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":15,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":16,"show_sort_weight":17,"slug":18},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":20,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":21,"show_sort_weight":22,"slug":23},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":25,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":26,"show_sort_weight":27,"slug":28},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":30,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":31,"show_sort_weight":32,"slug":33},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":35,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":36,"show_sort_weight":37,"slug":38},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":40,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":41,"show_sort_weight":42,"slug":43},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":45,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":46,"show_sort_weight":47,"slug":48},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":50,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":51,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":52},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":54,"data":55},"ok",{"site_id":56,"language":57,"slug":58,"title":59,"keywords":60,"description":61,"schema_data":62,"social_meta":120,"head_meta":122,"extra_data":124,"updated_unix":126},105,"en","how-to-create-a-pleading-template-in-word-step-by-step-setup","How to Create a Pleading Template in Word - Step-by-Step Setup","","Learn how to build a pleading template in the desktop version of Microsoft Word 2016, with specific adjustments for Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365. The guide covers paragraph spacing settings, adding line numbers using text boxes and alignment lines, and configuring footers with page numbers and law-firm details. It also explains creating a caption using tables and text boxes when line numbers are enabled, plus key formatting steps and saving the final file as a Word Template (.dotx).",{"@graph":63,"@context":119},[64,80,102],{"@type":65,"itemListElement":66},"BreadcrumbList",[67,71,74,77],{"item":68,"name":69,"@type":70,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":72,"name":10,"@type":70,"position":73},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",2,{"item":75,"name":36,"@type":70,"position":76},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/forms/",3,{"item":78,"name":59,"@type":70,"position":79},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/how-to-create-a-pleading-template-in-word-step-by-step-setup/246801/",4,{"url":78,"name":59,"@type":81,"image":82,"author":87,"headline":59,"publisher":90,"fileFormat":93,"inLanguage":57,"description":61,"dateModified":94,"datePublished":95,"encodingFormat":93,"isAccessibleForFree":96,"interactionStatistic":97},"DigitalDocument",{"url":83,"@type":84,"width":85,"height":86},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/how-to-create-a-pleading-template-in-word-step-by-step-setup/246801.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":88,"@type":89},"Grenda","Person",{"url":68,"name":91,"@type":92},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-25","2026-09-12",true,{"@type":98,"interactionType":99,"userInteractionCount":101},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":100},"ViewAction",13,{"@type":103,"mainEntity":104},"FAQPage",[105,111,115],{"name":106,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":108},"What spacing settings should be used when creating the pleading template?","Question",{"text":109,"@type":110},"Use double spacing by default, then set paragraph spacing to 0 before and 0 after. Choose “Exactly” with 24pt to keep text aligned with line numbers in the body.","Answer",{"name":112,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":113},"How can line numbers be added in Microsoft Word 2016?",{"text":114,"@type":110},"Switch to header/footer mode, then insert a drawn text box along the left side. Type the line numbers (1 to 26 or 28), manually drag the box to match the pleading text, and verify spacing matches before proceeding.",{"name":116,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":117},"How should the document caption be created when line numbers are attached to lines (Microsoft 365)?",{"text":118,"@type":110},"Because line numbers can break tables, insert two text boxes for the caption instead. Place one for the left side and one for the right side, format them with no outline for the left text box as needed, and add borders where required.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":121,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":91,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":123,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":125,"site_id":56},246801,1790456188,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":128},{"doc_id":125,"user_id":129,"nickname":88,"user_avatar":130,"doc_module":9,"category_id":35,"category_name":36,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":131,"file_id":132,"file_url":133,"file_type":134,"file_size":135,"view_count":101,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":76,"language":136,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":137,"faqs":138,"seo_title":139,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":140,"read_time":9},7971474921005,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_29158cc5080c5b710cf443261637dec0","The instructions below demonstrate how to create a pleading template using the desktop version of Word 2016 , with a variation for users of Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365. Note:  \nThese steps may not work for the web-based Microsoft Word.  \nSpacing  \n1. When preparing to create a pleading template, first confirm the spacing needed.  \nTypically, double spacing is best. To change this, highlight all your text or press Ctrl+A to select all items.  \n2. Then click the spacing button under the Paragraph menu on the Home ribbon.  \n3. A new menu will appear. Here, you can change the spacing before, after, and between each line or paragraph. You want 0 before and 0 after. Then choose Exactly and 24pt.“Exactly” will keep your text aligned with your line numbers in the body. When finished, click OK.  \nLine Numbers  \n1. To insert the line numbering, first put your document into Header/Footer mode. To do this, double-click in the area at the top of the page where you would see a header. A new tools ribbon will appear.  \n2. In the tools ribbon, choose Insert Text Box and click on the drop-down option, then choose Draw Text Box.  \n3. Draw your text box along the left-hand side of your document, all the way down to the bottom of the page.  \n4. Type the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, until 26 or 28 , whichever is your preference.  \n5. Once you have done that, you can manually adjust the text box by clicking and dragging the entire box down, so your line numbers match up with the text in your pleading.  \n6. Follow the same steps as in Step 1 above for spacing the number line text box.  \n7. During this process, you should double-check that the spacing in the document and the spacing in the number line text box match up. To ensure your lines match, go to Insert, Shape. Then click Line and draw a straight line from your last line to the last number. Adjust the text box to match the body text as necessary. Remember to delete your inserted line before moving forward.  \n8. Remove the visible border around the number line text box via Right click > Format this shape. Look for Line options and select No Line.  \nFooter  \n1. To create the footer, double-click on the area at the bottom of the page where the footer would be.  \n2. Once in the footer, go back up to the ribbon and select Page Number, then choose how you would like that number to appear. You can choose to add the title of the document in this space, too.  \n3. This is also where you can put the name of your law firm. While still in the footer, go back to the tools ribbon at the top and choose Insert Text Box and Draw Text Box in the drop-down.  \n4. You can draw your box anywhere in the footer—the lower right-hand side is the typical place for the law firm name. Draw your box and then add your law firm name and address inside the box. You will have to adjust the font size to fit all the firm information in the box. You may also have to adjust the spacing per step 1. Opting for single spacing is acceptable since this is in the footer and not in the body of the document.  \nCaption  \n1. To create the caption of the pleading, insert a table by placing your cursor in the area where you want the caption to appear. Find the tools ribbon, and choose Insert Tab, then Add a Table. You will then choose the number of columns and rows that you want. Typically, it will be two columns and one row. Click OK.  \n2. If you already have template caption information typed, cut and paste; otherwise type your information in the table. Format the text in that table to your liking ( left-justification, indenting, spacing, etc.) .  \n3. You can either keep the border visible, change the border to be invisible, or keep an inside line--whatever your preference.  \nMicrosoft 365 Version  \nLine Numbers  \n1. To insert the line numbering, go to the Layout menu. On the right-hand side of the Page Setup section, find Line Numbers. Click the drop-down arrow to see all the options.  \n2. For line numbers per page, click Restart Each Page.  \n3","cbCaipAZcMLW9mRE","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaipAZcMLW9mRE","pdf",124718,"English","# Spacing\n## Paragraph spacing settings\n# Line Numbers\n## Insert and align numbered text boxes\n## Remove visible borders and draw alignment lines\n# Footer\n## Add page numbers and law-firm information\n# Caption\n## Create a table-based caption\n## Caption setup for Microsoft 365 with line numbers\n# Formatting\n## Center court information and indent body text\n# Template Format\n## Save as a Word Template (.dotx)","[{\"question\":\"What spacing settings should be used when creating the pleading template?\",\"answer\":\"Use double spacing by default, then set paragraph spacing to 0 before and 0 after. Choose “Exactly” with 24pt to keep text aligned with line numbers in the body.\"},{\"question\":\"How can line numbers be added in Microsoft Word 2016?\",\"answer\":\"Switch to header/footer mode, then insert a drawn text box along the left side. Type the line numbers (1 to 26 or 28), manually drag the box to match the pleading text, and verify spacing matches before proceeding.\"},{\"question\":\"How should the document caption be created when line numbers are attached to lines (Microsoft 365)?\",\"answer\":\"Because line numbers can break tables, insert two text boxes for the caption instead. Place one for the left side and one for the right side, format them with no outline for the left text box as needed, and add borders where required.\"}]","How to Create a Pleading Template in Word - Step-by-Step Setup | PDF",1789238204]