Space Before Paragraph inconsistent even when using Paragraph Styles in InDesign 2021

[JediTink]

I am creating a document with several Paragraph Styles. Yet I am getting inconsistent spacing in between Headings and Paragraphs and I can't figure it out. 

Paragraph style: [No Paragraph Style] + next: [Same Style] + Lato + size: 9 pt + leading: 15 pt - ligatures + space after: 6 pt

Heading Style: SW Years + next: [Same Style] + size: 23 pt + leading: 14 pt + color: C=19 M=47 Y=60 K=8 + space before: 15 pt + space after: 10 pt

My space in between paragraphs and heading should be 6 pt + 15 pt, but I am getting anywhere from 21 pt to 33 pt in between bottom and top of lettering. Please help!

[Bill Silbert]

Try turning on the "Invisibles" (Type>Show Hidden Characters) to see if there is an extra paragraph return between the text paragraph and the heading that is showing more space between them. If so, delete the extra paragraph return.

[JediTink]

Thank you so much. I did this, but there are no extra paragraph returns.

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com · Accepted solution]

Heading Style: SW Years + next: [Same Style] + size: 23 pt + leading: 14 pt + color: C=19 M=47 Y=60 K=8 + space before: 15 pt + space after: 10 pt

By @JediTink

Why do you have your 23 pt heading set with only 14 pts leading? That's a negative leading and can throw off InDesign's typesetting algorithyms for text composition.

Also check:

• Do you have align to grid set to on? (see Indents & Spacing in the paragraph styles definition)

[JediTink]

THANK YOU! It looks like it was the Leading. I changed that to "Auto", and then set "Space Before" to 0. Now everything is working!

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

Glad we could help.

Best to you.

[rob day]

You have two different heading colors, so there is an override on one of the headings, or there is an added Character Style. Maybe the override is more than a color change? Does it happen if you clear all the style overrides and remove any applied character styles?