What is a case caption?

A case caption is a heading that appears at the top of legal documents, including court filings, briefs, and motions. The case caption typically includes the name of the court, the names of the parties involved in the case, and the case number. The case caption is essential for identifying the case and keeping it separate from other cases, and it is always written in a specific format. The format typically includes the name of the court, followed by the title of the action, the names of the parties involved, and the case number. For example, the case caption for a lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York might read: "UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, Jane Doe v. John Smith, Case No. 123456789."