![]() Here, it’s theoretically possible (though perhaps unappealing) to count all of the cases that Jones cited, so literally is not correct.Ĥ. Literallyis generally accepted to mean actually or exactly, not truly or virtually, and misuse of the term grates on many readers (figuratively, not literally). One does not cite to a legal authority-one cites a legal authority.ģ. Authorities do agree it’s best to recast the sentence to avoid awkwardness, for example: In his motion filed January 3, 2018, Jones. The Redbook directs writers to omit the comma if a full date is used as an adjective, as here, though other authorities on style disagree. Normally, when a full date appears mid-sentence, a comma belongs after the year. A corrected version of the writing sample appears at the end of the article.ġ. I primarily rely on The Redbook: A Manual on Legal Style 2 as the authority on legal writing. Now I’ll identify each error, explain why it’s a problem, and offer a solution. This should go no farther – the court should reject any future nonconforming filings. Yet, the court heretofore has shown leniency towards Jones, and has accepted all of his submittals. Jones has now filed over a dozen poorly-conceived motions which inaccurately cite legal authority, fail to flush out arguments and ignore relevant rules. It is clear that Jones’s interpretation is at odds with well established legal standards. According to Jones’ pleading, the judiciary must accept his substandard filings without further inquiry and they must disregard his flouting of filing rules. He seeks to persuade the court that pro se litigants need not comply with generally applicable standards. In his Janumotion, Jones cites to literally countless Federal cases. Test Your Editing IQīy my count, the following paragraph contains 25 errors and patent writing no-no’s (though reasonable minds could differ). In the process, you’ll learn a little about some common errors I find when editing documents for other lawyers. Unfortunately, legal writing gaffes can undermine lawyers’ credibility and detract from their arguments.Ĭan you consistently catch mistakes in legal documents? In this article, you can try your hand at correcting an intentionally flawed writing sample. ![]() It may be that they don’t have a formal editing process, 1 or that they don’t know certain rules. Even lawyers who are good writers make writing mistakes.
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