The Legal Writer [Paperback]

Judge Mark Painter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2003

"Cases are about people. Shouldn’t they be able to read what is happening to them?" Judge Painter asks in his seminars. In The Legal Writer, he expands on that theme, and offers 40 rules for lawyers to follow in changing their writing style.

Since 1998, Judge Painter has given 33 legal writing seminars, instructing lawyers and judges on how to make their words understandable—not only to other lawyers, but to the public. He also writes a monthly column on writing for Ohio Lawyers Weekly. That column is being reprinted by the bar associations of Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cuyahoga County, and nationwide in Lawyers Weekly USA.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Judge Painter was elected to the First District Court of Appeals in Cincinnati in 1994, and reelected without opposition in 2000. Previously, he served thirteen years on the Hamilton County Municipal Court. During that time, he was the most-published trial judge in Ohio.

In addition to his court duties, Judge Painter is a frequent lecturer, having taught more than 100 seminars for judges, lawyers, and police officers. He has served for 13 years as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Cincinnati, teaching agency and partnership law.

Product Details

• Paperback: 134 pages
• Publisher: Jardyce & Jardyce (September 2003)
• ISBN-10: 0972191674
• ISBN-13: 978-0972191678
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,660,646 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear and concise, June 28, 2004

By 

nku law (Erlanger, Ky.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Legal Writer (Paperback)

I was impressed by this clear and concise guide. As an undergrad, I took a legal writing class. We had no textbook, but we could have used this one. Now, I'm in law school, where I found this book on my own. Half the work is trying to figure out what legal types are saying. Judges and lawyers could make my job easier by reading this book. As a student, I find it a good resource to help avoiding such pitfalls.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent writing manual from a thoughtful judge, April 1, 2008

By 

Ernest E. Svenson "Ernie the Attorney" (New Orleans, Louisiana United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Legal Writer (Paperback)

The Legal Writer In law school students are forced to read hundreds of decisions written in an era before it was discovered that simple prose is best. Because students have been subjected to these poorly written opinions they come to believe that they should mimic this style. And this is why legal prose is typically so dense and incomprehensible.

Today there is a movement to make legal writing more accessible. There are tremendous advantages to having a clear style of communication. For starters, it's hard to persuade someone to adopt your position if they can't understand it, or if they have to work too hard to grasp it.

Judge Mark Painter is an appellate judge in Cinncinnati, and he knows how to write. More importantly, he knows the simple rules that should guide lawyers as they craft their legal briefs. His short manual is a compendium of 40 easy to grasp rules. One of my favorites is Rule 27 "The Parties have names," where he advises against using procedural titles such as "Plaintiff" or "Defendant." Some of the rules might seem obvious, but only to extremely disciplined legal writers.

Most of us need help finding the signposts. And it's refreshing to see a Judge take the time to help us find them.