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Legal Writing Tip: It's All in the Numbers Spell out numbers below 10 and big round numbers. ... If you chose to spell out multi-word whole numbers between 22 and 99, use hyphens. ... Also use hyphens when those numbers are part of bigger numbers. ... When writing large numerals, use commas.

The general rule is that all numbers ten and below should be spelled out and numbers 11 and above should be put in numerals. However, there are certain exceptions to this: If numbers recur through the text or are being used for calculations, then numerals should be used.

In fact, the easy alteration of numerals is the reason that we spell out the numbers on our checks (for those of us who still use checks). Still, numerals are easier to read at a glance, and so early legal writers included both. Yet when legal writers transitioned to typed documents, the word-numeral doublet persisted.

Fortunately, the rules about numbers in writing are much easier ? and more scintillating ? than the definitions of words related to numbers. The Chicago Manual of Style, The Bluebook and the ALWD Guide to Legal Citation all suggest spelling out numbers from zero to ninety-nine.

The best I came up with was that numeric values in a formal document or contract are often crucial to its purpose. Restating a number in parentheses after spelling it out is a way to ensure the reader that the number is correct.

Many lawyers love to write numbers twice ? Some lawyers say it provides clarity. Some say it helps to identify the numbers as numbers (really?). Some do it because ?it's always been done that way.? And others do it to make themselves look important.