2.1.9 Characteristics of Legal Writing

Legal writing is a technical variety of professional writing. Its hallmarks: 1. Clarity — the reader (judge, client, opponent) must grasp the point at first reading. 2. Precision — exact words; "shall" vs "may", "and" vs "or" are not interchangeable. 3. Conciseness — every sentence earns its place; no decoration. 4. Objectivity and moderation — facts stated without exaggeration; law stated without distortion. 5. Formal register — no slang, no contractions, no emotional outbursts. 6. Correct legal terminology — terms of art used accurately (e.g., "plaintiff/petitioner", "void/ voidable", "misrepresentation/fraud"). 7. Structure and logical order — issue, rule, application, conclusion; numbered paragraphs in pleadings. 8. Authority-supported assertions — every proposition of law is cited to a statute, precedent or authoritative commentary. 9. Consistency — same facts, same terms, same style throughout the document. 10. Neutrality of tone — persuasive through reasoning, not through rhetoric.