Lawyers and nonlawyers alike prefer contracts written in plain English
Reading through legal documents can be a real slog. Who, after all, knows the meaning of “ex curia” or “de jure” without going to law school? Whose head doesn’t spin at words such as “hereinafter” or at endless sentences with hypercomplex grammar?
Lawyers won’t often admit a preference for plain language, says the study’s lead author Eric Martínez, a licensed attorney and doctoral student studying cognitive science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “You hear lawyers complain about bad writing by other lawyers,” he says, “but it wasn’t as obvious to me that lawyers struggle to read these documents themselves.”
This tradition is deeply rooted and can’t be changed overnight. Contract attorneys largely rely on preexisting templates, which save time and money and are seen as less risky. “There’s this tendency to copy and paste,” Martínez says. And this reliance on lawyer speak starts early in an attorney’s education. “From day one [of law school], it seemed like people were already talking in this interesting, lawyerly way,” he says.
Lawyers and laypeople alike have been railing against legalese for dozens—if not hundreds—of years. The “plain-language movement” ramped up around 1972, when President Richard Nixon decreed that the Federal Register’s government rules and notices be written in “layman’s terms.
Brasil Últimas Notícias, Brasil Manchetes
Similar News:Você também pode ler notícias semelhantes a esta que coletamos de outras fontes de notícias.
Colleen Ballinger’s Lawyers Address Blackface Allegations During PerformanceHer team set the record straight on her Blackface allegations.
Consulte Mais informação »
Bones Revival Chances Get Cautious Update From Creator: “It Would Take A Million Agents & Lawyers”Creator Hart Hanson provides a cautious yet hopeful update about the chances of a Bones revival, with the original crime drama wrapping in 2017.
Consulte Mais informação »
This Princeton educator teaches virtual English classes to Afghan girls around the worldAn online English class started by an Afghan student at The Hun School in Princeton has grown from 20 girls to nearly 200 students.
Consulte Mais informação »
No lawyers for miles: Rural Colorado’s shortage of attorneys is “hitting a crisis point”Rural and remote areas of Colorado are experiencing an acute shortage of attorneys, creating so-called “legal deserts” where residents struggle to find local legal representation.
Consulte Mais informação »
Paxton lawyers confirm he won't testify at impeachment trial- What's Your Point?Texas' suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton says he won't testify in his own defense,. A wise political move or something more...?
Consulte Mais informação »
US citizenship test changes are coming, raising concerns for those with low English skillsThe U.S. citizenship test is being updated, and some immigrants and advocates worry the changes will hurt test-takers with lower levels of English proficiency.
Consulte Mais informação »