Comb binding has the advantage of being light and compact and easy to handle even where desk space is limited. An opened up D-ring binder with a 7cm spine is about 50% wider than a comb bound volume and slightly longer as well. A D-ring binder is heavier and, being thicker, takes up more space when being transported than a comb-bound volume.
The overlapping cover of a ring binder means that any tabs can only be read when the volume is open. With a comb-bound volume tabs can be read whether the volume is open or closed.
You can turn over pages in a comb-bound volume easily just as you would a book. With a ring binder you can turn over up to 20 sheets (e.g. from page 30 to page 50 if printed single-sided) just as you would a book but if you want to turn over, say, 40 sheets the pages will initially bend back, rather than moving over the rings, and you then have to push the 40 sheets over the rings. This is not difficult to do but it makes using a ring-binder slightly less agreeable if you are often skipping from page to page.
If a comb-bound volume has flexible covers made of relatively thin - e.g. 160gsm - card, it is very easy to handle because you can bend and "fan" it to make it easy to go straight to the page you want.
Comb-bound volumes stack better horizontally one on top of the other but D-ring binders stack better vertically.
Card for covers for comb-binding is readily available in every colour. It can be difficult to obtain D-ring binders of the colour you want of the desired size: various sizes are readily available in white but the selection in black and blue may be more limited whilst other colours may be difficult to obtain.
So comb-binding has a number of advantages but, on the other hand, the actual assembling of volumes (if you are doing it yourself rather than using a reprographics shop) is easier with D-ring binders than with comb-binding. Loading sheets in one go into a 2 ring-binder is easy. With comb-binding it takes a bit longer because you have to match up the 21 holes with the plastic rings on the comb.
The cost of consumables for the two methods is broadly similar. Pre-punched paper for comb-binding is more expensive than unpunched paper but that is made up for by the cost of D-ring binders which are more expensive than the simple coloured card used for the covers of a comb-bound volumes.
Traditionally ring binders (or lever arch files) were used for hardcopies of hearing bundles because it was possible to insert or replace pages in them easily without access to a bulky binding machine which would be necessary to easily replace pages in a comb-bound volume. Some tribunals still mandate the use of ring binders. For example in the County Court trial bundles "should normally be contained in a ring binder or lever arch file" (CPR 32 PD 27.9). But in most tribunals it is rare nowadays for a hardcopy to be produced without an accompanying matching eBundle, and the fact that, once sent out, an eBundle cannot have new pages inserted into it (so that a supplementary bundle is necessary if there are to be further documents put before the tribunal at the hearing) and the requirement that eBundles must match hardcopies, means that in most tribunals there is no requirement to insert or replace pages in the hardcopy once it has been sent out so that a comb-bound volume can be used as an alternative to a ring binder (and double-sided printing can be used if desired providing this is allowed by tribunal rules). Some tribunals have a stated preference for comb-bound volumes. For example in the Supreme Court volumes are to be bound "preferably with plastic comb binding" (Practice Direction 5 5.22 (a)).
The statement that, once sent out, an eBundle cannot have new pages inserted into it, needs further explanation. It is, of course, technically possible to add pages to an eBundle PDF but sending out a replacement eBundle is not practical given that any recipient of the original eBundle might have started to mark it up. Also most tribunals have a firm rule that imprinted page numbers must match physical PDF page numbers (i.e. legal numbering 16.1,16.2, 16.3 etc. cannot be used) and any addition of pages in a replacement eBundle would therefore put out the page numbering of all pages after the inserted page (and possibly put out the numbering of all pages before the inserted page as well if the addition caused the index at the front to overflow on to an additional page) which would cause difficulty for anyone who had made external notes referencing page numbers, or written a skeleton argument or chronology referencing page numbers.
If comb-binding is to be used you should have your own comb binder machine, even if you are using a reprographics shop to do the printing and assembly, because you might need to replace the odd page if it is discovered that it has not printed properly. A comb binding machine has a punch which produces 21 rectangular holes, as well as having a (separately operated) comb opener to hold open the plastic combs so that sheets can be threaded onto them.
If you will be doing all the printing/assembling yourself and not be using a reprographics shop, note that the comb-binding machine punch is only intended for low-volume punching (it can only punch about 10 sheets at a time) such as for punching the covers, dividers and any A3 sheets. Pre-punched A4 paper should be used for printing the bulk of the pages (make sure it is loaded in the printer with the holes on the correct side - usually the right side if you are looking facing the printer). Pre-punched A4 paper is not generally available from ordinary office suppliers but can be obtained from e.g. Prontaprint or Salisbury Printing.
Binding combs come in various sizes:-
A 14mm comb can accommodate 100 sheets of 80 gsm paper
A 25mm comb can accommodate 200 sheets of 80 gsm paper
A 35mm comb can accommodate 300 sheets of 80 gsm paper
A 48mm comb can accommodate 400 sheets of 80 gsm paper
These are theoretical figures and in practice the fact that you may be using tabbed dividers, and may have some A3 sheets folded double, will mean that the realistic capacity of a 48mm comb, for example, may be not much more than 350 sheets.
If you decide to use D-ring binders you should have your own two-hole punch even if you are using a reprographics shop to do the printing and assembly because you might need to replace the odd page if it is discovered that it has not printed properly.
Use two-hole binders rather than three-hole or four-hole, as two-hole binders make it easier to turn pages over. Binders with clear pockets on the outside front cover and spine (such as the Elba Panorama Presentation Binder) can be used so that title pages can be inserted.
Binders come in various sizes:-
An A4, 2 D-Ring, 25mm Capacity binder, can accommodate 250 sheets of 80 gsm paper
An A4, 2 D-Ring, 40mm Capacity binder, can accommodate 400 sheets of 80 gsm paper
An A4, 2 D-Ring, 50mm Capacity binder, can accommodate 500 sheets of 80 gsm paper
These are, however, theoretical figures and in practice the fact that you may be using tabbed dividers, and may have some A3 sheets folded double, may mean that the realistic capacity of a 40mm Capacity binder, for example, may be little more than 300 sheets. It is important not to overfill a binder - i.e. there should be no sheets beyond the point where the straight part of the D-ring starts to curve - in order to ensure that pages can be turned over easily without snagging. 65mm capacity binders are available but not recommended because, if filled, there is such a thickness of paper that it is difficult to turn to a page which is towards the end.
The quoted width of a D-ring binder is the size of the straight part of the D-ring (before it starts to curve) which holds the pages. The actual width of the spine of the binder is a bit more. For example a 40mm Capacity D-ring binder has a spine width of approximately 55mm.
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This information page is designed to be used only by clients of John Antell who have entered into an agreement for the provision of legal services. The information in it is necessarily of a general nature and will not be applicable to every case: it is intended to be used only in conjunction with more specific advice to the individual client about the individual case. This information page should not be used by, or relied on, by anyone else.
This page was lasted updated in January 2025. Disclaimer