Pleadings never convert well, and any resulting document would probably be
unstable.

We use tables for separate statements and begin each new item in a new row.
I would get rid of the top and bottom cell margins, though, if you are
concerned about keeping everything aligned with the numbered lines on your
pleading paper. Set line spacing to exactly 24 points.

The only major difficulty you'll have is with line breaks in the table --
you won't have much control. I wouldn't try to tweak anything until you have
all the text in and won't be making any more changes.

"DC1999" wrote:

If there are any CA lawyers in this group, perhaps you can offer some
guidance. Converting a Word document (Word 2003) in Columns for a MSJ
Separate Statement with pleading lines to WordPerfect has proven to be
next to impossible.

So, perhaps the answer is to learn how to do the same thing in Word.
The columns need to be equidistant wide, with a separator column .5
wide. The text will line up at the start, although it might not finish
in column three at the same place. The next block of text will start
on the numbered line or two below the one above. Thus a whole series
of Points and Citations (or references to the record) will stream down
the multiple pages of the document.

Is there a tutorial somewhere? I've looked at the help files, and they
might as well be written in Greek.

The essence of what is done in WordPerfect is to create Newspaper
columns, 3.5", .5", then 3.5", and after the text is entered in columns
1 and 3, "discontinue". When you go to the next numbered pleading
line, start another set of Newspaper columns. It sounds cumbersome,
and it is probably the most difficult thing to do in WPerfect.

Feel free to respond privately -- even flame me for my ignorance -- at


Thanks.

Dave Clark