Re: Legal English (was RE: Using M-dash and N-dash?)

Subject: Re: Legal English (was RE: Using M-dash and N-dash?)
From: eric -dot- dunn -at- ca -dot- transport -dot- bombardier -dot- com
To: "Paul Strasser" <paul -dot- strasser -at- ennovationinc -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 15:15:54 -0500

"Paul Strasser" <paul -dot- strasser -at- ennovationinc -dot- com> wrote on 02/11/2004
03:04:53 PM:
> (And, if it matters, the number of real estate forms in
> California - at
> least at my old firm - has again doubled since I left.
> Interestingly, the
> number of lawsuits, mediations, or arbitration involving my firm has
> declined despite an impressive increase in their sales.
> There is no doubt a
> relationship between these two facts.)

But I will counter at least there's a plain English requirement. That
actually probably goes a long way to avoiding future lawsuits as the
documents don't become entangled with contradictory legalese (although
completely straight forward if taken in light of court precedent). If
there is no plain English requirement, the text used to 'fill the gaps'
will be whatever legalese previously passed through the courts in similar
circumstances with the interpretation desired.

Or, in the absence of previous jurisprudence, it will be the legalese
brought about by the judges decision on the case they are trying to avoid
repeating. And that legalese will be a nasty combination of several
different cases quoted by the judge and then reinterpreted in the judge's
own legalese.

On of the difficult steps in instituting plain English laws and contracts
is linking the new plain English text with the previous jurisprudence.

Eric L. Dunn
Senior Technical Writer




Previous by Author: Re: Legal English (was RE: Using M-dash and N-dash?)
Next by Author: Re: Legal English? (take II)
Previous by Thread: RE: Re: Legal English (was RE: Using M-dash and N-dash?)
Next by Thread: RE: Legal English (was RE: Using M-dash and N-dash?)


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads