meretricious / meritorious
Showy and false versus deserving praise.
Meretricious means showy and cheap, or false. Meritorious means deserving praise. They are not cousins in sense. Do not use a meretricious brief if you mean a good one.
Examples
Usea meretricious display
Usea meritorious brief
Avoida meretricious brief (If you mean the brief deserved praise.)