Legal Writing
LEGAL WRITING 201
30 SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE READABILITY
OR
HOW TO WRITE FOR JUDGES, NOT LIKE JUDGES
JUDGE MARK P. PAINTER
OHIO FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS
Legal Writing 201
JUDGE MARK P. PAINTER
OHIO FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS TAFT LAW CENTER 230 EAST NINTH STREET CINCINNATI, OHIO 45202 513-946-3444 – FAX 946-3411 mpainter@cms.hamilton-co.org www.judgepainter.org
........................................................... Introduction to Legal Writing ........................................................... 4 .......................................................... Rule 1. Know Your Audience .......................................................... 7 FrontDocument— Rule 2. Front-Load your Document—Context Before Detail ............. 8 nt Rule 3. Frame the Issue in Fewer than 75 Words ............................ 9 ............................................... Rule 4. State the Facts Succinctly ............................................... 10 Overchronicling— Rule 5. Avoid Overchronicling—Most Dates are Unimportant........ 10 Unimportant........ Signposts— Rule 6. Headings are Signposts—They Should Inform ................... 11 ..................................................... Rule 7. Write Short Paragraphs..................................................... 11 Paragraphs ................................ Important— Rule 8. Form is Important—Make it Look Good ............................. 12 9. Carefully................................ ........................................ Rule 9. Check your Document Carefully ........................................ 12 Short— Rule 10. Keep it Short—the Page Limit is Your Friend .................. 13 ............................................... Rule 11. Use No Talking Footnotes............................................... 13 Footnotes ................................ ................................................ Rule 12. Citations go in Footnotes
30 SUGGESTIONS TO IMPROVE READABILITY
OR
HOW TO WRITE FOR JUDGES, NOT LIKE JUDGES
JUDGE MARK P. PAINTER
OHIO FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS
Legal Writing 201
JUDGE MARK P. PAINTER
OHIO FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS TAFT LAW CENTER 230 EAST NINTH STREET CINCINNATI, OHIO 45202 513-946-3444 – FAX 946-3411 mpainter@cms.hamilton-co.org www.judgepainter.org
........................................................... Introduction to Legal Writing ........................................................... 4 .......................................................... Rule 1. Know Your Audience .......................................................... 7 FrontDocument— Rule 2. Front-Load your Document—Context Before Detail ............. 8 nt Rule 3. Frame the Issue in Fewer than 75 Words ............................ 9 ............................................... Rule 4. State the Facts Succinctly ............................................... 10 Overchronicling— Rule 5. Avoid Overchronicling—Most Dates are Unimportant........ 10 Unimportant........ Signposts— Rule 6. Headings are Signposts—They Should Inform ................... 11 ..................................................... Rule 7. Write Short Paragraphs..................................................... 11 Paragraphs ................................ Important— Rule 8. Form is Important—Make it Look Good ............................. 12 9. Carefully................................ ........................................ Rule 9. Check your Document Carefully ........................................ 12 Short— Rule 10. Keep it Short—the Page Limit is Your Friend .................. 13 ............................................... Rule 11. Use No Talking Footnotes............................................... 13 Footnotes ................................ ................................................ Rule 12. Citations go in Footnotes
Citations: 5 See, e.g., Wood v. Donohue (1999), 136 Ohio App.3d 336, 736 N.E.2d 556; Nusekabel v. Pub. School Emp. Credit Union (1997), 125 Ohio App.3d 427, 708 N.E.2d 1015. 6 Mikva, Goodbye to Footnotes (1985), 56 U.Col.L.Rev. 647, 648.