[f. BRIEF sb., sense 7.]
1. trans. To reduce to the form of a counsel’s brief.
1837. Richardson, s.v., It is common among English lawyers as, to brief the pleadings.
2. To put (instructions) into the form of a brief to a barrister. Also fig.
1864. G. Dyce, Bella Donna, I. 304. Being ‘briefed’ to Maxwell, they all fell into one common mould.
1872. Lever, Ld. Kilgobbin, lxxiii. (1875), 397. Instructions which were briefed to him in the case.
3. To give a brief to (a barrister), to instruct by brief; to retain as counsel in a suit.
1862. Trollope, Orley F., vii. I never could look a counsel in the face again, if I’d neglected to brief him with such facts as these.
1882. Pall Mall Gaz., 5 April, 2/2. Should his master be briefed in more than one court at the same time.
1883. Times, 12 Dec., 4/5. The company have briefed many of the leading men at the Bar in this case.
