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The Pocket Guide to Legal Writing » (1st Edition)

Book cover image of The Pocket Guide to Legal Writing by William H. Putman

Authors: William H. Putman
ISBN-13: 9781401865979, ISBN-10: 1401865976
Format: Other Format
Publisher: Cengage Learning
Date Published: August 2005
Edition: 1st Edition

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Author Biography: William H. Putman

William Putman received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law and has been a member of the New Mexico Bar since 1975. For ten years he was an instructor in the Legal Assistant Studies Program at Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the Paralegal Studies Program at Santa Fe Community College, in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Book Synopsis

The Pocket Guide to Legal Writing is designed as a desk book for use by practicing paralegals, legal assistants, attorneys, and students. It is a reference book that allows the user to quickly obtain the answer to many commonly encountered writing questions concerning the following subjects: sentence and paragraph drafting, word selection and usage, spelling, numbers, grammar, punctuation, legal citation, legal correspondence, legal research memoranda, and court briefs. It also includes a chapter on the location of various non fee-based internet and other computer based legal research sources. In addition is a chapter discussing the various time deadlines under federal rules of civil and criminal procedure. The book is color coded so information may be easily located and designed to lie flat on a desk next to a computer. It is written in a non technical manner and designed so that it is easy to understand and use by anyone working in a law office. It includes checklist for use in conjunction with the various types of legal writing.

Table of Contents

Ch. 1Sentences and paragraphs1
Ch. 2Word selection and usage, spelling, capitalization, italics, abbreviations, and numbers21
Ch. 3Grammar47
Ch. 4Punctuation69
Ch. 5Legal citation89
Ch. 6Computer and Internet research Web sites135
Ch. 7Preparing to write - the writing process for effective legal writing149
Ch. 8Legal correspondence171
Ch. 9Legal research memorandum189
Ch. 10Court briefs225

Subjects