12 - Legal Writing Flashcards
hard copy
a paper copy of what has been prepared on a computer
soft form
text which exists on disk or on a computer screen
format
1 - the way in which something is arranged, designed, or styled on a page
2 - in word processing, the layout of the page when printed
draft
1 - a document in one of its preliminary stages
2 - to write
word processor
software that allows you to enter and edit data in order to create and revise documents; it processes words, allowing you to write sentences, paragraphs, and pages on the computer
homophone
words that sound alike but have different meanings
plagiarism
taking another’s original ideas or expressions and using them as if they are one’s own
copyright
the exclusive right for a fixed number of years to print, copy, sell, or perform original works
fair use
the privilege of limited use of copyrighted material without permission of the copyright holder
public domain
work product or other property that is not protected by copyright or patent; a status that allows use by anyone without fee
demand letter
an advocacy letter that asks the recipient to take or refrain from specific action affecting the client
informational letter
a letter that provides or seeks information
status letter
a letter that updates someone on a matter
confirmatory letter
a letter that verifies or confirms that something important has been said or done
opinion letter
a letter to a client explaining the application of the law and providing legal advice based on that explanation
below
pertaining to a lower level of court in the hierarchy of a court system
subject-matter jurisdiction
the court’s power to resolve a particular type of legal dispute and to grant a particular type of relief
point heading
a conclusion that a party wants a court to accept on one of the issues in the case
questions presented
a statement of the legal issues in an appellate brief that a party wants to appellate court to resolve
statement of the case
the portion of an appellate brief that summarizes the procedural history of the case to date and presents the essential facts of the dispute; it may also state the appellate court’s subject-matter jurisdiction
circumlocution
the use of more words than are need to express something
nominalizations
a noun formed from a verb or adjective
active voice
the grammatical verb form in which the subject or thing performing or causing the action is the main focus
passive voice
the grammatical verb form in which the object of the action is the main focus; the emphasis is on what is being done rather than on who or what is performing or causing the action
truncated passive
a form of passive voice in which the doer or subject of the action is not mentioned
