Pink ribbon may be the most recognisable, but other colours are often used in legal proceedings: white tape is regularly used for briefs from the crown, green ribbon has been used to sew up court documents in the past, and black ribbon is still sometimes used for probate papers.
Historically, instructions presented to a barrister from a solicitor, known as a brief, are folded in a particular way, and secured with a delicate pink ribbon or tape. This pink tape – not to be confused with sellotape or masking tape – is still used today, but why?
One hypothesis is that the color was chosen for those in the legal profession because it stimulated their creativity and mental capabilities. It also provided a background that contrasted very well with black ink, providing a professional feel.
It's likely that blue was simply the color that contrasted best with yellow, and that is why the lines of legal pads are typically blue.
Legal pads are seen as the notebooks of our parents, detailing important matters like bills and schedules. Seeing a parent's handwriting as a child elicits a certain feeling of authority and importance. Add that handwriting to a yellow sheet of paper and you better be sure that you don't spill your juice on that thing.
This worked out well for Holly because he was able to acquire large amounts of free paper to use in his notepads. His idea worked out so well that he quit his job at the mill and started selling notebooks full time.
The American Pad and Paper Company states that the margins of a typical legal pad include a 1.25-inch gap down the left side of the paper.
Research in color psychology can back up the claim that yellow stimulates the mind.
Another idea is that, because the papers were compiled mostly of scraps of varied paper, the yellow color was added to give the illusion that the sheets were one unified piece. Yellow may have been the easiest and most affordable die on the market that was still close to the color white.