Proofreading is a separate task after drafting. Read the complete file as the advocate responsible for its contents. For planning and composing a document, use the drafting frameworks guide.
1. Confirm the matter and parties
Match names, descriptions, identifiers and the forum against the source records. Look for details carried over from an earlier precedent.
2. Check dates and amounts
Verify each date and amount. Distinguish the date of an event from the date of a letter, filing or record. Resolve inconsistent versions before approval.
3. Separate assertions from instructions
Identify what is established by records, what the client alleges and what remains uncertain. Remove any unsupported completion introduced during drafting.
4. Read admissions and denials carefully
A small wording change can alter the position conveyed. Check qualifications and negatives after every revision, particularly in replies and paragraph-wise responses.
5. Verify authorities independently
Read provisions and judgments in the sources you intend to rely on. Check the proposition and context, using the citation verification guide when reviewing generated references.
6. Compare the request with the instructions
Check whether the requested relief, demand or proposed terms match the approved objective. Confirm any procedural requirement with the responsible advocate.
7. Inspect defined terms and cross-references
Read every internal reference after additions or deletions. Make sure a definition is used consistently and a paragraph reference still points to the intended text.
8. Match annexures and source references
Confirm that the listed records exist, labels match and each important reference can be found. Do not retain a reference to an attachment that has not been supplied.
9. Review the exported file
Check headings, numbering, tables, spacing and page breaks in the final output. A clean editor view does not establish that the exported document contains everything expected.
10. Identify the approved version
Resolve placeholders, record the reviewing advocate's changes and label the file intended for use. Keep a clear handover so a colleague does not send or file an earlier working version.
For a repeatable drafting sequence, use the daily drafting workflow. This checklist supports professional review; it does not establish completeness for every document or forum.