Format Overview - Case.dev

A style-based layout engine for generating professional legal documents. Transform Markdown, JSON, or plain text into polished PDFs, Word documents, or HTML previews with precise typography and layout control.

Quick example

curl -X POST https://api.case.dev/format/v1/document \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_case_YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "content": "# Motion for Summary Judgment\n\nPlaintiff respectfully moves...",
    "input_format": "md",
    "output_format": "pdf",
    "options": {
      "template": "pleading",
      "styles": {
        "h1": { "font": "Times New Roman", "size": 14, "bold": true, "alignment": "center" },
        "p": { "font": "Times New Roman", "size": 12, "spacingAfter": 12 }
      }
    }
  }'

casedev format:v1 document \
  --content "# Report" \
  --input-format md --output-format pdf

import Casedev from 'casedev';

const client = new Casedev({ apiKey: 'sk_case_YOUR_API_KEY' });

const response = await client.format.v1.document({
  content: '# Motion for Summary Judgment\n\nPlaintiff respectfully moves...',
  input_format: 'md',
  output_format: 'pdf',
  options: {
    template: 'pleading',
    styles: {
      h1: { font: 'Times New Roman', size: 14, bold: true, alignment: 'center' },
      p: { font: 'Times New Roman', size: 12, spacingAfter: 12 }
    }
  }
});

import casedev

client = casedev.Casedev(api_key='sk_case_YOUR_API_KEY')

response = client.format.v1.create_document(
    content='# Motion for Summary Judgment\n\nPlaintiff respectfully moves...',
    input_format='md',
    output_format='pdf',
    options={
        'template': 'pleading',
        'styles': {
            'h1': {'font': 'Times New Roman', 'size': 14, 'bold': True, 'alignment': 'center'},
            'p': {'font': 'Times New Roman', 'size': 12, 'spacingAfter': 12}
        }
    }
)

result, _ := client.Format.V1.NewDocument(ctx, casedev.FormatV1NewDocumentParams{
	Content:      casedev.F("# Report\n\nContent here..."),
	InputFormat:  casedev.F("md"),
	OutputFormat: casedev.F("pdf"),
})
// result is *http.Response with PDF body

Capabilities

Unlike simple converters, the Format API gives you full control over document presentation:

Feature	Description
Typography	Control fonts, sizes, weights, and spacing per element type
Layout	Set margins, page numbers, headers, and footers
Templates	Built-in presets like `pleading` paper with line numbers
Variable Interpolation	Use `{{variable}}` placeholders for dynamic content
Preview Mode	Generate HTML previews before committing to PDF

Output formats

Format	Use Case
`pdf`	Final documents for filing, printing, or archiving
`docx`	Editable Word documents for collaboration
`html_preview`	Fast previews for UI rendering before final generation

Built-in templates

Template	Description
`standard`	Clean professional formatting (default)
`pleading`	Legal pleading paper with line numbers and court margins

Custom templates can be saved and reused across your organization using the Templates API.

Endpoints

Generate Document

POST /format/v1/document — Convert content to PDF, DOCX, or HTML

Templates

GET/POST /format/v1/templates — Manage reusable format templates

Common patterns

Live preview in your app

# CLI (via cURL - no direct CLI command)
curl -X POST https://api.case.dev/format/v1/document \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CASEDEV_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "content": "# Your markdown content...",
    "input_format": "md",
    "output_format": "html_preview"
  }'

casedev format:v1 document

// Show users a preview before generating the final PDF
const preview = await client.format.v1.document({
  content: markdownContent,
  input_format: 'md',
  output_format: 'html_preview'
});

// Render in your UI
document.getElementById('preview').innerHTML = preview;

# Show users a preview before generating the final PDF
preview = client.format.v1.create_document(
    content=markdown_content,
    input_format='md',
    output_format='html_preview'
)

resp, _ := client.Format.V1.NewDocument(ctx, casedev.FormatV1NewDocumentParams{
	Content:      casedev.F(markdownContent),
	InputFormat:  casedev.F(casedev.FormatV1NewDocumentParamsInputFormatMd),
	OutputFormat: casedev.F(casedev.FormatV1NewDocumentParamsOutputFormatHtmlPreview),
})
// resp body contains HTML string

With template variables

# CLI (via cURL - no direct CLI command)
curl -X POST https://api.case.dev/format/v1/document \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CASEDEV_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "content": "# Service Agreement\n\nThis agreement is entered into by **{{client_name}}** (\"Client\")\nand **{{firm_name}}** (\"Firm\") on {{effective_date}}.\n\n## Scope of Services\n{{services_description}}",
    "input_format": "md",
    "output_format": "pdf",
    "options": {
      "components": [{
        "variables": {
          "client_name": "Acme Corporation",
          "firm_name": "Smith & Associates LLP",
          "effective_date": "January 15, 2024",
          "services_description": "Legal representation in matters of..."
        }
      }]
    }
  }'

casedev format:v1 document \
  --content "# Your content" \
  --input-format md --output-format pdf

const contract = await client.format.v1.document({
  content: `
# Service Agreement

This agreement is entered into by **{{client_name}}** ("Client") 
and **{{firm_name}}** ("Firm") on {{effective_date}}.

## Scope of Services
{{services_description}}
  `,
  input_format: 'md',
  output_format: 'pdf',
  options: {
    components: [{
      variables: {
        client_name: 'Acme Corporation',
        firm_name: 'Smith & Associates LLP',
        effective_date: 'January 15, 2024',
        services_description: 'Legal representation in matters of...'
      }
    }]
  }
});

contract = client.format.v1.create_document(
    content="""
# Service Agreement

This agreement is entered into by **{{client_name}}** ("Client")
and **{{firm_name}}** ("Firm") on {{effective_date}}.

## Scope of Services
{{services_description}}
    """,
    input_format='md',
    output_format='pdf',
    options={
        'components': [{
            'variables': {
                'client_name': 'Acme Corporation',
                'firm_name': 'Smith & Associates LLP',
                'effective_date': 'January 15, 2024',
                'services_description': 'Legal representation in matters of...'
            }
        }]
    }
)

resp, _ := client.Format.V1.NewDocument(ctx, casedev.FormatV1NewDocumentParams{
	Content:      casedev.F("# Service Agreement\n\nThis agreement is entered into by **{{client_name}}** (\"Client\")\nand **{{firm_name}}** (\"Firm\") on {{effective_date}}.\n\n## Scope of Services\n{{services_description}}"),
	InputFormat:  casedev.F(casedev.FormatV1NewDocumentParamsInputFormatMd),
	OutputFormat: casedev.F(casedev.FormatV1NewDocumentParamsOutputFormatPdf),
	Options: casedev.F(casedev.FormatV1NewDocumentParamsOptions{
		Components: casedev.F([]casedev.FormatV1NewDocumentParamsOptionsComponent{{
			Variables: casedev.F(map[string]string{
				"client_name":          "Acme Corporation",
				"firm_name":            "Smith & Associates LLP",
				"effective_date":       "January 15, 2024",
				"services_description": "Legal representation in matters of...",
			}),
		}}),
	}),
})

Court-ready pleading

# CLI (via cURL - no direct CLI command)
curl -X POST https://api.case.dev/format/v1/document \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CASEDEV_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "content": "...",
    "input_format": "md",
    "output_format": "pdf",
    "options": {
      "template": "pleading",
      "header": "SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA",
      "footer": "Motion for Summary Judgment - Page {{page}}",
      "margins": { "top": 72, "right": 72, "bottom": 72, "left": 108 }
    }
  }'

casedev format:v1 document \
  --content "# Your content" \
  --input-format md --output-format pdf

const motion = await client.format.v1.document({
  content: motionMarkdown,
  input_format: 'md',
  output_format: 'pdf',
  options: {
    template: 'pleading',
    header: 'SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA',
    footer: 'Motion for Summary Judgment - Page {{page}}',
    margins: { top: 72, right: 72, bottom: 72, left: 108 }
  }
});

motion = client.format.v1.create_document(
    content=motion_markdown,
    input_format='md',
    output_format='pdf',
    options={
        'template': 'pleading',
        'header': 'SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA',
        'footer': 'Motion for Summary Judgment - Page {{page}}',
        'margins': {'top': 72, 'right': 72, 'bottom': 72, 'left': 108}
    }
)

resp, _ := client.Format.V1.NewDocument(ctx, casedev.FormatV1NewDocumentParams{
	Content:      casedev.F(motionMarkdown),
	InputFormat:  casedev.F(casedev.FormatV1NewDocumentParamsInputFormatMd),
	OutputFormat: casedev.F(casedev.FormatV1NewDocumentParamsOutputFormatPdf),
	Options: casedev.F(casedev.FormatV1NewDocumentParamsOptions{
		Template: casedev.F("pleading"),
		Header:   casedev.F("SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA"),
		Footer:   casedev.F("Motion for Summary Judgment - Page {{page}}"),
		Margins:  casedev.F(casedev.FormatV1NewDocumentParamsOptionsMargins{
			Top: casedev.F(int64(72)), Right: casedev.F(int64(72)),
			Bottom: casedev.F(int64(72)), Left: casedev.F(int64(108)),
		}),
	}),
})

LLMs

Generate content with AI, then format into polished documents

​Quick example

​Capabilities

​Output formats

​Built-in templates

​Endpoints

Generate Document

Templates

​Common patterns

​Live preview in your app

​With template variables

​Court-ready pleading

​Related services

LLMs

Quick example

Capabilities

Output formats

Built-in templates

Endpoints

Common patterns

Live preview in your app

With template variables

Court-ready pleading

Related services