“The word ‘said’ is used by many practitioners rather than ‘the’ to refer back to previously recited elements, sometimes to a previously cited anything. This practice is unobjectionable, although perhaps overly legalistic. If ‘saids’ or ‘thes’ are used, one should be consistent in the usage and not alternate between those words in repetitions of the same element or among different elements.” Robert C. Faber, Landis on Mechanics of Patent Claim Drafting § 23, at 50 (3d ed. 1990).
said
said, adj. Aforesaid; above-mentioned. • The adjective said is obsolescent in legal drafting, its last bastion being patent claims. But even in that context the word is giving way to the ordinary word the, which if properly used is equally precise. See AFORESAID.
