Creating Pleading Paper and Ruled LIne Legal Pages

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Level 2

233 points

Creating Pleading Paper and Ruled LIne Legal Pages

Does anyone know if its possible to create pleading paper aka ruled line legal pages in Pages? The pages have numbers 1-28 down the left side, a double line down the left side and a single line down the right side margin. Typed text goes in between the double and single lines. It needs to be a master so that each page of the document comes out the same. If so, I need step by step directions.

Mackbook, Mac OS X (10.5.6), iwork 09

Posted on Feb 8, 2009 8:35 AM

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Answer 1

Inquisitive Author

Level 2

233 points

Feb 8, 2009 1:11 PM in response to PeterBreis0807

I gave it a shot but no cigar. It only created a one page template. When I cut and pasted a long document into it, only one page of material was there. It didn't generate additional pages and fill them in with the pasted material. Where did I go wrong?

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Answer 2

Feb 8, 2009 9:50 AM in response to Inquisitive

I assume you are American and therefore believe your document is the only kind in the entire universe, so I fished out this pdf from a quick search of the net:

http://www.saclaw.lib.ca.us/Uploads/files/forms/fillablepleadingpaper.pdf

To reproduce this you can use the pdf as a background graphic or to ensure a perfect alignment and fit, you could make your own making a text box containing a numbered list with 28 returns set exactly 15pts or 18 pts apart. From the shapes menu you can draw a line with say 0.5 pt black stroke to the left side (poking out top and bottom). Option-shift drag a copy slightly to the right and another to the far right.

Select all the objects and group them (after copying the text box on its own).

You can move the grouped set to the master page and make that not selectable.

Now paste the copied text box onto the page and make sure it is in exactly the same position as the numbered locked one beneath (You did note the position from the Inspector pallette?), remove the Numbered list style and drag the left side slightly to the right of the double line.

Save this as a template page:

+Menu > Format > Advanced > Capture Pages…+

The only reason I suggest this method and not just to keep the numbered box is so that you don't accidently overwrite or delete the numbers.

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Answer 3

Inquisitive Author

Level 2

233 points

Feb 8, 2009 10:01 AM in response to PeterBreis0807

Thank you. I would like to give it a try. I had already tried the non pdf format approach, which I prefer. I followed instructions found under iwork 8. However, when I started with a blank word processing document, I couldn't move the numbers I had created and I even had trouble typing text into the numbered text field. I basically redid everything starting from a blank page layout document, but I found the option to move selection to Selection Masters was grey out and not an option so I was stumped. Which blank document should I start this process from?

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Answer 4

Feb 8, 2009 12:03 PM in response to Inquisitive

I suggest you make sure the Text box that you type the list into is a "floating text box" so that you can move it to a Master object. You probably typed into the default text box set for the margins.

There is only one Blank document letter size in the Word Processing and Layout modes.

Which of the 2 you use is up to you. Whether you would rather work in one or the other. *Word Processing* is obviously meant for those doing a lot of typing and Layout is meant for people who are going to fiddle with the design.

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Answer 5

Inquisitive Author

Level 2

233 points

Feb 8, 2009 12:52 PM in response to PeterBreis0807

It sounds like you are saying I should start at the blank word processing template and then check to make sure that my text boxes are floating. Is this correct?

By the way, I have been using Filemaker Pro to do pleadings for years so I understand the concepts. The problem with filemaker is that it has a limited page length. I think I can cut and paste my layouts from there to Pages, too, but I'm not sure.

Thanks again. I will report back.

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Answer 6

Feb 8, 2009 12:59 PM in response to Inquisitive

Inquisitive wrote:
It sounds like you are saying I should start at the blank word processing template and then check to make sure that my text boxes are floating. Is this correct?

Yes. Good luck!

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