&sq=&lang=&file=File:Question_book-new.svg){kind=small} | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (October 2019) |
A brief (Old French from Latin "brevis", short) is a written legal document used in various legal adversarial systems that is presented to a court arguing why one party to a particular case should prevail.
In England and Wales (and other Commonwealth countries, e.g., Australia) the phrase refers to the papers given to a barrister when they are instructed.