A few weeks back I noted a yet-to-be-published case by Ontario Master Donald Short on proportionality called Moosa v. Hill Property Management. It's now been published here, along with this bit of visual advocacy:
I've heard Eugene Meehan talk about charts in his written advocacy presentation, but haven't been exposed to much else on visual advocacy. I like this example because it communicates so much meaning so quickly and, moreover, because it's accessible to those who are not artistically inclined. Does this offend your typesetter's eye Simon? Other examples anyone? Links?
My typesetter's eye loves this sort of thing, Dan, when it's used sparingly and well, as it is here. My favourite example of a sudden departure from the "invisible" text has always been the squiggle in Tristram Shandy. And what may become one of my least favourites showed up today, as it happens: the New Jersey Manual of Style for Judicial Opinions uses the dreaded Comic Sans typeface on its title page. Worrisome.
For those with a combined passion for law and typography, this post compels me to pass along a link for http://www.typographyforlawyers.com a brilliant online guide to such matters created by a lawyer who used to be a typesetter. And let me second Simon's concern about Comic Sans being selected as the font on the cover of a style manual – a choice that is downright oxymoronic. In fact, typographyforlawyers.com covers it off nicely at the end of its discussion of system fonts: "Stay away from Comic Sans for any purpose." Enough said.
Perhaps the New Jersey officials are being wise guys.