What’s the difference between a legal pad and another pad of paper?

When you think “legal pad” – you probably think “yellow.” 

Although it is the most common color for legal pads, it’s not what makes them legal. The legality is actually in the margin. According to the American Pad and Paper Company, the only thing that technically sets a legal pad apart from other notepads is a wider 1.25 inch left margin. 

Thomas Holley, the original legal pad guy, added that left margin in the early 1900s at the request of a loyal customer, a judge who needed that space to write comments on his notes.