Legal Research

"Plain-Language Advice from 'McElhaney on Litigation'"

This post was written by Wayne Schiess: "Jim McElhaney has for many years given great advice on litigation in the ABA Journal. In the January 2010 issue, he recommends against using the following words in examining a witness. I'm against the same words, for the same reasons, in legal writing:

Prior and subsequent: "Before" and "after" are perfectly good words. Use them instead.
Previous: Worse than "prior."
Contemporaneously: Worse than "previous." "At the same time" is understood instantly.
Have occasion to: Needless clutter that often follows "did you . . . ?" Don't use it.
With respect to: An awkward way to say "about" or "concerning."

...

Continue reading this interesting post at the source site listed below.

Source: Legalwriting.net Blog, 6 January 2010

Full post as published by Stark County Law Library Blawg on January 07, 2010 (boomark / email).