A form book is a tool used by attorneys in the United States to aid in the filing of pleadings, motions and other legal documents with a court or similar decision-making body.
The importance of these books is not to be underestimated, as a form lacking proper language or information may jeopardize court proceedings.
Forms can contain standard language to be used in court proceedings, or may more closely resemble a template which is to be filled in based on case specifics.
General form books usually fall into one of two categories: transactional, or covering pleading and practice processes.
[7] Transactional (or legal) forms give examples of contracts, wills, leases, deeds, mortgages, and other substantive matters.
They are usually arranged alphabetically or encyclopedically and may provide a topical index to aid researchers in finding specific forms.