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The new edition of this concise and highly accessible text continues to give students a classic introduction to legal writing. Clear, readable text, effective sample documents and exercises combined with a focus on the legal memorandum and brief, reinforce the essential writing skills students must have. Special Features: walks students through the writing process beginning with an overview of legal analysis then moving on to an understanding of the context, effective organization, clear and effective writing, and reviewing and editing zeros in on writing the legal memorandum and appellate court brief with excellent examples of each an appendix provides an overview of English sentence structure and guidance for writing well helps students reinforce their skills with numerous exercises throughout the book New To The Third Edition: a streamlined Part I: Learning to Read Legal Writing, making teaching and learning the material even easier practice tips added throughout the book to tie writing skills to real-life practice charts and tables added to help reinforce major points a revised heading and format structure for greater accessibility recent developments in the law a new brief

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• Preface(p. xix)
• Acknowledgments(p. xxi)
• Introduction(p. 1)
• A. The Importance of Legal Writing(p. 1)
• B. Some Comments on the Way This Book Is Organized and Written(p. 1)
• Part I Learning to Read Legal Materials(p. 5)
• 1. A Short History of Legal Language(p. 7)
• A. Characteristics of Traditional Legal Writing(p. 7)
• 1. Poor Writing(p. 7)
• 2. Archaic Constructions(p. 8)
• B. Why Legal Writing Is the Way It Is(p. 8)
• C. Foundations of Legal Writing(p. 9)
• 1. Historical Factors(p. 9)
• 2. Sociological Factors(p. 11)
• 3. Political Factors(p. 12)
• 4. Jurisprudential Factors(p. 15)
• D. Attitudes Toward Traditional Legal Writing(p. 16)
• 1. Conservative Audiences(p. 17)
• 2. Forms and Model Documents(p. 17)
• 3. Memos and Briefs(p. 18)
• 2. Categories of Legal Writing(p. 19)
• 3. Sources of Law and Our System of Courts(p. 21)
• 4. The Litigation Process(p. 29)
• A. Preparing and Serving the Complaint(p. 29)
• Sample Complaint(p. 30)
• B. Pretrial Proceedings and Procedures(p. 33)
• 1. Responsive Pleadings: Responding to the Complaint(p. 33)
• a. The Answer(p. 33)
• Sample Answer(p. 34)
• b. Motion to Dismiss(p. 35)
• c. Motion for Summary Judgment(p. 36)
• 2. Discovery: Discovering What Happened(p. 37)
• a. Interrogatories(p. 38)
• b. Depositions(p. 38)
• C. The Trial Brief(p. 38)
• D. The Trial(p. 39)
• 1. Selecting the Jury(p. 39)
• 2. Opening Statements(p. 40)
• 3. The Cases-in-Chief(p. 40)
• 4. Motions after the Cases-in-Chief(p. 41)
• 5. Rebuttal(p. 41)
• 6. Closing the Trial(p. 41)
• 7. Motions Following the Verdict(p. 42)
• a. Motion for a Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict(p. 42)
• b. Motion for a New Trial(p. 42)
• 5. Reading, Analyzing, and Briefing a Case(p. 43)
• A. How to Approach a Case: A Primer(p. 43)
• B. Case Briefs(p. 45)
• 1. What Is a Case Brief?(p. 45)
• 2. Why Brief a Case?(p. 45)
• 3. Sample Case and Case Brief(p. 45)
• Lyons v. Lyons(p. 46)
• Sample Case Brief(p. 48)
• 4. Discussion of Sample Brief(p. 49)
• a. The Names of the Parties and the Court(p. 49)
• b. The Procedural Posture of the Case(p. 50)
• c. Statement of Facts(p. 50)
• d. Statement of the Issue(p. 51)
• e. Holding of the Case(p. 52)
• f. Rationale(p. 52)
• g. Comments and Criticisms(p. 53)
• 6. Synthesizing the Law from a Series of Cases(p. 55)
• Dillon v. Legg(p. 56)
• Krouse v. Graham(p. 61)
• Thing v. La Chusa(p. 66)
• Fife v. Astenius(p. 71)
• Wilks v. Hom(p. 73)
• Sample Memorandum(p. 78)
• Part II Learning to Write Legal Documents(p. 83)
• 7. A Systematic Approach to Legal Writing(p. 85)
• A. Pre-writing Stage(p. 85)
• B. Writing Stage(p. 87)
• C. Post-writing Stage(p. 87)
• 8. Understanding Your Context(p. 89)
• A. Determining the Purpose(p. 89)
• 1. Specifying Your Purposes(p. 90)
• 2. Ranking Your Purposes(p. 91)
• 3. Accomplishing Your Purposes(p. 93)
• 4. Dealing with Conflicting Purposes(p. 94)
• 5. Writing for Multiple Purposes: An Example(p. 95)
• Exercises(p. 98)
• B. Identifying the Audience(p. 101)
• 1. Lawyers' Audiences(p. 101)
• a. Writing for Multiple Audiences(p. 103)
• b. Writing for Conflicting Audiences(p. 104)
• 2. Classifying the Audience(p. 104)
• a. Identifying Your Audience(p. 104)
• b. Analyzing Your Audience(p. 105)
• c. The Unfamiliar Audience(p. 107)
• 3. Writing for a Specific Audience: Some Examples(p. 108)
• 4. Writing for Multiple Audiences: An Example(p. 115)
• Exercises(p. 121)
• C. Identifying Your Constraints(p. 123)
• 1. Constraints of Time and Space(p. 123)
• 2. Format Requirements(p. 124)
• 3. Citation Constraints(p. 126)
• 4. Constraints on Content(p. 127)
• Exercises(p. 129)
• 9. Getting Organized(p. 135)
• A. Why Organize?(p. 135)
• B. How to Organize an Expository Document(p. 136)
• 1. Providing a Context(p. 136)
• 2. Presenting the Substance of the Document(p. 138)
• 3. Writing the Conclusion(p. 139)
• 4. Organizing an Expository Document: An Example(p. 139)
• C. How to Organize a Complex Legal Document(p. 141)
• 1. Identifying and Presenting Issues(p. 142)
• 2. Presenting the Rule(p. 143)
• 3. Application: Analyzing Facts and Law(p. 143)
• 4. Anticipating Counterarguments(p. 144)
• 5. Providing a Conclusion(p. 144)
• 6. Organizing a Complex Legal Document: An Example(p. 145)
• D. The Importance of Headings(p. 148)
• Exercises(p. 151)
• 10. Writing Clearly(p. 157)
• A. Guideline 1: Write Short Sentences(p. 157)
• Exercises(p. 159)
• B. Guideline 2: Put the Parts of Each Sentence in a Logical Order(p. 160)
• Exercises(p. 161)
• C. Guideline 3: Avoid Intrusive Phrases and Clauses(p. 162)
• Exercises(p. 163)
• D. Guideline 4: Untangle Complex Conditionals(p. 164)
• Exercises(p. 165)
• E. Guideline 5: Use the Active Voice Whenever Possible(p. 166)
• Exercises(p. 169)
• F. Guideline 6: Use Verb Clauses and Adjectives Instead of Nominalizations(p. 169)
• Exercises(p. 171)
• G. Guideline 7: Use the Positive Unless You Want to Emphasize the Negative(p. 171)
• Exercises(p. 173)
• H. Guideline 8: Use Parallel Structure(p. 173)
• Exercises(p. 175)
• I. Guideline 9: Avoid Ambiguity in Words and Sentences(p. 175)
• 1. Ambiguity at the Word Level(p. 175)
• 2. Ambiguity at the Sentence Level(p. 177)
• 3. Intentional Ambiguity(p. 179)
• Exercises(p. 180)
• J. Guideline 10: Choose Vocabulary with Care(p. 180)
• 1. Eliminate or Change Archaic or Unnecessary Words(p. 181)
• 2. Replace Difficult Words or Legal Jargon with Words Your Readers Will Know(p. 181)
• 3. Define or Explain Technical Terms(p. 182)
• Exercises(p. 183)
• K. Guideline 11: Avoid Noun Strings(p. 184)
• Exercises(p. 185)
• L. Guideline 12: Eliminate Redundancy and Extraneous Words; Avoid Overspecificity(p. 185)
• Exercises(p. 187)
• M. Guideline 13: Use an Appropriate Style(p. 188)
• 1. Use the Correct Point of View, Labels, and Pronouns(p. 188)
• 2. Use the Correct Tense(p. 190)
• 3. Use a Formal but Not Pompous Style(p. 191)
• 4. Use an Appropriate Approach(p. 192)
• Review Exercises(p. 192)
• 11. Writing Effectively(p. 195)
• A. Step One: Developing a Logical Argument(p. 195)
• 1. Deductive Reasoning in Law(p. 196)
• 2. Expanding the Syllogism into a Legal Argument(p. 197)
• a. The Major Premise(p. 198)
• b. The Minor Premise(p. 201)
• c. The Conclusion(p. 203)
• 3. Faulty Logic(p. 205)
• Exercises(p. 205)
• B. Step Two: Using Effective Writing Techniques(p. 206)
• 1. Assessing Your Audience(p. 206)
• 2. Emphasizing Effective and Appropriate Information(p. 207)
• 3. Using Appropriate Writing Techniques(p. 208)
• a. Emphasizing Positive Information(p. 209)
• b. De-emphasizing Negative Information(p. 212)
• Exercise(p. 215)
• 12. Reviewing and Editing(p. 217)
• A. Writing as a Process(p. 217)
• B. Reviewing, Revising, and Editing(p. 217)
• 1. Checking for Appropriateness(p. 219)
• Exercises(p. 222)
• 2. Checking for Effectiveness(p. 222)
• Exercise(p. 224)
• 3. Checking for Correctness(p. 226)
• Exercises(p. 230)
• Part III Creating Specific Legal Documents(p. 233)
• 13. Writing an Intraoffice Memorandum(p. 235)
• A. What Is a Memorandum?(p. 235)
• B. The Structure of a Memo(p. 236)
• 1. Outline(p. 236)
• 2. Explanation of the Parts of a Memo(p. 236)
• a. Heading(p. 236)
• b. Background and Purpose(p. 237)
• c. Statement of the Issues(p. 237)
• d. Short Answer(p. 238)
• e. Statement of the Facts(p. 238)
• f. Applicable Statutes(p. 239)
• g. Discussion(p. 239)
• h. Conclusion(p. 239)
• C. Writing a Memo: Two Examples(p. 239)
• 14. Writing a Memorandum of Points and Authorities(p. 257)
• A. What Is a Memorandum of Points and Authorities?(p. 257)
• B. Sample Memorandum of Points and Authorities(p. 257)
• 15. Writing an Appellate Brief(p. 271)
• A. What Is an Appellate Brief on the Merits?(p. 271)
• 1. The Structure of a Brief(p. 272)
• a. Outline(p. 272)
• b. Explanation of the Parts of a Brief(p. 272)
• (1) Cover Page(p. 272)
• (2) Questions Presented(p. 274)
• (3) Parties to the Proceeding(p. 275)
• (4) Table of Contents(p. 276)
• (5) Table of Authorities(p. 277)
• (6) Opinions Below(p. 278)
• (7) Jurisdictional Statement(p. 278)
• (8) Statement of the Case (Statement of Facts)(p. 279)
• (9) Summary of Argument(p. 280)
• (10) Argument(p. 280)
• (11) Conclusion(p. 292)
• 2. Writing an Appellate Brief: An Example(p. 293)
• B. What Is a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari?(p. 317)
• C. What Is an Amicus Curiae Brief?(p. 339)
• Appendix An Overview of English Sentence Structure(p. 355)
• A. Common Sentence Patterns(p. 355)
• 1. The Active Voice(p. 355)
• a. Subject [right arrow] Verb(p. 355)
• b. Subject [right arrow] Verb [right arrow] Object(p. 356)
• Exercises(p. 358)
• 2. The Linking Verb(p. 359)
• a. Subject = Linking Verb = Complement(p. 359)
• Exercise(p. 361)
• b. There = Linking Verb = Subject(p. 361)
• Exercises(p. 364)
• 3. The Passive Voice(p. 365)
• a. Subject [left arrow] Verb(p. 365)
• Exercises(p. 367)
• b. Subject [left arrow] Passive Verb [left arrow] Object(p. 368)
• Exercises(p. 369)
• 4. More Complex Constructions(p. 370)
• a. Active Sentences with Direct and Indirect Objects(p. 370)
• b. Active Sentences with Object and Complement(p. 371)
• Exercises(p. 372)
• 5. Summary(p. 373)
• Review Exercises(p. 373)
• B. Word Groups That Function as Units(p. 374)
• 1. Compound Sentence Elements(p. 374)
• 2. Groups of Words Can Function as Units(p. 375)
• a. Compound Structures Serving as Necessary Elements(p. 375)
• Exercises(p. 377)
• b. Entire Phrases as Subjects, Objects, or Complements(p. 378)
• Exercises(p. 380)
• 3. Clauses(p. 381)
• a. Independent Clauses(p. 381)
• b. Dependent Clauses(p. 382)
• c. Relative Clauses(p. 383)
• d. Dependent Clauses as Part of an Independent Clause(p. 385)
• Exercises(p. 386)
• e. Clauses Serving as Modifiers(p. 386)
• Exercises(p. 388)
• 4. Summary(p. 389)
• Review Exercises(p. 390)
• C. Correcting Serious Errors(p. 391)
• 1. Subject-Verb Agreement(p. 391)
• a. Problems Created When the Subject and Verb Are Separated(p. 392)
• Exercises(p. 393)
• b. Problems Created When the Number of the Subject Is Unclear(p. 394)
• Exercises(p. 398)
• c. More Complex Problems with Separated Subjects and Verbs(p. 399)
• Exercises(p. 401)
• 2. Incomplete Sentences(p. 402)
• a. Leaving Out Necessary Parts of the Clause(p. 402)
• Exercises(p. 403)
• b. Letting a Dependent Clause Stand Alone(p. 403)
• Exercises(p. 405)
• c. Putting Only Part of a Verb in the Main Clause(p. 406)
• Exercises(p. 407)
• 3. Garbled Sentences(p. 408)
• a. Problems with Tangled Lists and Misplaced Modifiers(p. 409)
• Exercises(p. 412)
• b. Problems with Mismatched Beginnings and Endings(p. 413)
• Exercises(p. 416)
• 4. Summary(p. 417)
• Index(p. 419)