The Art of Litigation » Legal Writing

Texas Divorce Petition

Woodruff — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 13:30:09 +0000

Most people do not realize that you can handwrite most legal filings and they will be accepted. This gem from long ago is a classic example of how not to do this. I hope you enjoy this petition from the Great State of Texas.

Texas Divorce

A Motion to Dismiss to Remember

Woodruff — Mon, 16 May 2011 13:30:10 +0000

Sometimes lawyers get board and think they are romance novelists.

MTD Yacht

The History of Legal Writing Programs

Woodruff — Mon, 09 May 2011 13:30:19 +0000

Justice Roberts on Legal Writing

Woodruff — Mon, 02 May 2011 13:30:18 +0000

Added bonus: http://www.lawyerclock.com/

The Original Bluebook

Woodruff — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 13:30:05 +0000

It was much shorter than the current 500-plus page monstrosity known as the 19th edition.

Original Bluebook

Legal Writing 201

Woodruff — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 13:30:11 +0000

Judge Painter would like to share with you some thoughts on writing. I suggest you follow his advice.
Legal Writing 201

Incomprehensible

Woodruff — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:30:01 +0000

Judges and their staffs deal with immense case loads. Knowing this, you should always be mindful of their time when preparing motions. Always proofread your motions for both grammar and content before submitting them to the court. Otherwise, you might get an order from the court quoting a rather insulting line from a very popular movie.

incomprehensible

Orthogonal

Woodruff — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:30:10 +0000

Sometimes lawyers can get carried away with words. This appears to have been the case during oral arguments in Briscoe v. Virginia.

MR. FRIEDMAN: I think that issue is entirely orthogonal to the issue here because the Commonwealth is acknowledging -
CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS: I’m sorry. Entirely what?
MR. FRIEDMAN: Orthogonal. Right angle. Unrelated. Irrelevant.
CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS: Oh.
JUSTICE SCALIA: What was that adjective? I liked that.
MR. FRIEDMAN: Orthogonal.
CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS: Orthogonal.
MR. FRIEDMAN: Right, right.
JUSTICE SCALIA: Orthogonal, ooh.
(Laughter.)
JUSTICE KENNEDY: I knew this case presented us a problem.
(Laughter.)
MR. FRIEDMAN: I should have — I probably should have said -
JUSTICE SCALIA: I think we should use that in the opinion.
(Laughter.)
MR. FRIEDMAN: I thought — I thought I had seen it before.
JUSTICE SCALIA: Or the dissent.
(Laughter.)
MR. FRIEDMAN: That is a bit of professorship creeping in, I suppose.

H/T: Orin Kerr at The Volokh Conspiracy

How Not to Write a Motion for Rehearing

Woodruff — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 14:30:45 +0000

You know there will be trouble when the first paragraph in a motion is “Oh.”

5D06-4243

Moments in the History of Pleadings

Woodruff — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 14:30:22 +0000

Pleadings can take many forms.

Sometimes these documents are not the most professional. Here is an example of one of those unprofessional pleadings. It was handwritten and filed by a Texas lawyer back in 1985.

texasdivorce