Hyphen, En Dash, and Em Dash in Legal Writing and Citations

This post explains the functional difference between the hyphen (-), en dash (–), and em dash (—), with examples drawn from legal writing and legal citations.^[1]

The Three Marks Are Different

These marks are not interchangeable. Each has a distinct function, and using the wrong one can produce ambiguity or signal inattention to detail.

Hyphen (-): Joins Words

The hyphen is used to join words or word parts.

Common uses:

• Compound modifiers: court-appointed guardian
• Prefixes and suffixes: non-party, pre-trial
• Certain statutory or technical terms

Not used for:

• Numerical ranges
• Page or line spans
• Dates or time periods

Incorrect:

Smith Tr. at 23:14-18

The hyphen does not indicate a range.

En Dash (–): Indicates a Range or Span

The en dash is used to indicate a range between two values.

Common uses in legal writing:

• Page ranges: 23–25
• Line ranges: 14–18
• Combined page-and-line citations: 23:14–18
• Date ranges: 2019–2021

This is the correct dash to use when citing deposition and trial transcripts by page and line. For a fuller explanation of transcript citation format, see How to Cite Deposition and Trial Transcripts.

Correct in citations:

Smith Tr. at 23:14–18
Smith Tr. at 23:14–24:6

In transcript citations, the en dash is the correct mark between line numbers.

Em Dash (—): Breaks Sentence Structure

The em dash is used to interrupt or restructure a sentence.

Common uses:

• Parenthetical breaks
• Emphasis
• Abrupt changes in thought

Examples:

• The witness—not the attorney—answered the question.
• The motion was denied—without prejudice.

Not used for:

• Numerical ranges
• Citations
• Page or line references

Incorrect:

Smith Tr. at 23:14—18

The em dash has no role in legal citations.

Spacing Around Em Dashes

In U.S. legal writing, em dashes do not take spaces.

Correct:

The witness—not the attorney—answered the question.

Spacing em dashes is used in some non-U.S. style systems and should not be mixed into U.S. legal filings.

Common Formatting Traps

Word processors

Word and Google Docs may automatically substitute:

• two hyphens (--) with an em dash
• a hyphen with an en dash in limited contexts

These substitutions are inconsistent and should not be relied on.

Markdown

Markdown does not reliably convert hyphens into en dashes. The en dash should be inserted intentionally.

Practical Guidance

• Use hyphens to join words
• Use en dashes for ranges and spans, including citations
• Use em dashes only for sentence structure
• In citations, the only correct dash for ranges is the en dash

Courts may tolerate a hyphen in place of an en dash, but an em dash in a citation is incorrect.

Summary

• Hyphen (-): joins words
• En dash (–): indicates a range
• Em dash (—): restructures sentences
• Transcript citations use page:line–line with an en dash