Techniques for writing in legal documents?

Question

I posted this question in homework help, but didnt get what I was looking for.

The things I am mainly looking for is what is acceptable and what is not when you write in a legal documents, eg, are you allowed to use abbreviations, etc....are there any sites, or people who know the ins and outs with legal documentation...The more detailed information I can get, the better....thanks in advance.

Answer 1

When I studied legal writing (its generally a L1 course), the important thing that was emphasized was being concise. However, abbreviations are not commonly used in legal writing. The following is an example of legal writing:

The particular "style" of writing has often been deemd to be legalese. However, its no more complicated than the professional writing of any other profession. Correct grammar, spelling and punctuation are essential. So to is attention to detail: a badly placed comma or a word used incorrectly can drastically alter the outcome. For instance, in evaluating a contact, a court will often hold any mistake against the maker of the contract.

I don't know where you are in your eduction, but you might consider taking a basic course in legal writing, often available in the pre-law or paralegal programs at univerities and junior colleges. If you have more specific questions let me know and I will try to help.