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A term of art is a phrase that has become so well accepted and pervasive in a particular field that it is no longer considered proprietary to its original author.
How do you write legal terms?
Drafting Legal Documents, Principles of Clear Writing Write in the active voice. The active voice eliminates confusion by forcing you to name the actor in a sentence. Use action verbs. Use “must” instead of “shall”. Be direct. Use the present tense. Write positively. Avoid use of exceptions. Avoid split infinitives.
How are ellipses used in legal writing?
An ellipsis is a series of three points with spaces between them (. . .) inserted into a quotation to indicate the omission of material from the original quotation. Failure to use the proper form of an ellipsis could misrepresent the work of another person and result in legal liability for the writer.
How are brackets used in legal writing?
1 Answer. Use a pair of brackets in a quotation to enclose an editorial comment, correction, explanation, interpolation, substitution, or translation that was not in the original text. Use a pair of brackets around any character that you change in or add to quoted material.
How are hyphens used in legal writing?
HYPHEN: Hyphens can be used between two words that function together to modify a subsequent word in the sentence, as in “well-pled complaint.” Hyphens can also be used to connect some prefixes to words.
What is legal term?
A term which has a specific meaning when used in a legal context. noun.
What is meant by legal terminology?
Legal terminology is the collection of words and phrases that have a precise or peculiar use in the law profession. Legal Terminology is not only used by lawyers but also used in a wide range of associated legal professions.
What should always be italicized in legal writing?
In the main text, italicize case names; procedural phrases; and titles of publications (including statutory compilations), speeches, or articles. You also can use italics for emphasis.
How do you join compound words in legal writing?
Open compounds – school bus, living room – are commonly used together but are written with a space in between. Whether a compound word is properly open, closed or hyphenated may depend on whether it’s used as a noun, adjective or verb. Verbs are usually open.
What does id stand for in legal writing?
“Id.” always refers to the immediately proceeding cited authority, either in the same footnote or the previous footnote so long as it is the only authority cited in the proceeding footnote.
How do you paraphrase in legal writing?
Tell me what you know.” In other words, paraphrase. Paraphrasing is often a better option than quoting in legal writing. Paraphrasing is incorporating someone else’s idea — including legal precedent — into your own writing by describing the idea and citing its source. But in describing the idea, you use your own words.
Do you write out percentages in legal writing?
Express most percentages in numerals, except at the beginning of sentences. Depending on the audience, either write out “percent” or use “%.” Do not include a space before “%.” Written-out numbers become plural just like other nouns do. For example, simply add an “s” to words like three, hundred and kajillion.
How do you use a semicolon in legal writing?
Semicolons are perhaps best used in legal writing to connect independent clauses in a list, such as elements of statute or analytical framework; case citations; or when a list has one or more items that includes an “and,” or an “or.” This applies both when the list is in an outline (or numbered) format on the page, and Mar 19, 2019.
Do you use the Oxford comma in legal writing?
Lawyers should use the Oxford comma to help avoid ambiguity. Three ambiguities may arise without this comma: Whether the two final items in a list are one combined element or separate.
What is the difference between en and em dashes?
The en dash is approximately the length of the letter n, and the em dash the length of the letter m. The shorter en dash (–) is used to mark ranges and with the meaning “to” in phrases like “Dover–Calais crossing.” The longer em dash (—) is used to separate extra information or mark a break in a sentence.
Why do lawyers use two spaces after a period?
He explains that the use of two spaces between sentences derives from when everyone was writing on manual typewriters. Due to how typewriters handled proportionate spacing, it was easier to read typewritten documents which placed two periods between sentences.
What is an example of legal jargon?
Bar – general term referring to a group of attorneys – example: “The Bar of the 26th Judicial District is active in community issues.” Bench – term used to refer to judges or the court – example: “Please approach the bench” refers to approaching the judge. Biological Father – the natural father of a child.
Why is it important to understand legal terminology?
Words are the essential tools of the law. In the study of law, language has great importance; cases turn on the meaning that judges ascribe to words, and lawyers must use the right words to effectuate the wishes of their clients. These words and phrases have meaning only as legal terms.
How do you read a legal document?
If you want to save some money on lawyers’ fees, here are some tricks and tips to reading these documents like your attorney might. Tip #1: Read EVERYTHING. Tip #2: Check Every Reference. Tip #3: Question Everything, Especially Things That Don’t Make Sense. Tip #4: Close Any Open Ended Terms.
What is the need and importance of legal language in legal profession?
The legal language is used to draft law related documents like contracts, licenses, indictments or subpoenas, briefs, judgments, laws of Parliament, case reports and legal correspondence, etc. It holds high importance in the country as its main provisions are written in such languages.
Should you italicize in legal writing?
The period at the end of Id. is always italicized. Id. cannot be used for internal cross references.
Is pro se italicized in legal writing?
italicizing legal terms of art – Many of these terms, such as “pro bono,” “guardian ad litem,” and “pro se” should not be italicized; they are generally accepted in everyday use. Here’s a rule of thumb: If the term appears in the Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary, do not italicize it. (There will be exceptions.
Are legal cases italicized?
Note: In court documents (briefs, motions) and legal memoranda, a full case name is usually italicized or underlined. In academic legal writing (i.e., a law review article), full case names are generally not underlined or italicized.
What do em dashes do?
The em dash can function like a comma, a colon, or parenthesis. Like commas and parentheses, em dashes set off extra information, such as examples, explanatory or descriptive phrases, or supplemental facts. Like a colon, an em dash introduces a clause that explains or expands upon something that precedes it.
What are the 3 compound words?
There are three types of compound words: closed, open and hyphenated. Closed compound words are made up of two words without a space in-between. Examples of closed compound words are: moonlight, classroom, and sunflower. Open compound words have a space between the smaller words that make them up.
How do you know if a word is hyphenated?
Generally, you need the hyphen only if the two words are functioning together as an adjective before the noun they’re describing. If the noun comes first, leave the hyphen out. This wall is load bearing. It’s impossible to eat this cake because it is rock hard.
