Factum Precedents / Instructional Materials for Legal Writing
David Stratas
Tab No.:
2. Sample Factum: an example of high synthesis and high compression
3. Sample Moving Party's Factum (Motion)
4. Sample Appellant's Factum: Application for Leave to Appeal
5. Sample Respondent's Factum: Application for Leave to Appeal
6. Sample Factums: The Merits -- A B C D
7. Sample Appellant's Factum: Development of the Facts
8. Sample Respondent's Introduction
9. Winning the 'Battle of Controlling Ideas'
10. Compressing an Argument: Making the Point Quickly
11. Lists
12. Coherence
13. Block Quotations
15. Dealing with Fuzzy Authorities
16. Dealing with Mischaracterizations
17. Dealing with the Lying Adversary
18. Dealing with the Confused Adversary
19. Stratas, "Some factum writing suggestions"
20. Stratas, "Walking on Thin Ice: Exploiting Strengths and Managing Weaknesses" in Hon. Thomas J. Cromwell, Effective Written Advocacy (Aurora: Canada Law Book, 2008)
This document is online at http://www.davidstratas.com/queensu2009/10.html.
Other helpful instructional materials and books:
A. Clear legal writing
- Michele M. Asprey, Plain Language for Lawyers (Sydney: The Federation Press, 1991) - avail. here
- Constance Hale, Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose (N.Y.: Broadway Books, 1999) - avail. here
- Joseph M. Williams, Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace (Chicago: Harper Collins, 1989) - avail. here
- Richard C. Wydick, Plain English For Lawyers, 4th ed. (Durham: Carolina Academic Press, 1998) - avail. here
- Some Tips on Legal Writing... and an online guide to style (Strunk, The Elements of Style)
- Some Tips on Legal Citation
- The Purdue Online Writing Lab (full of resources and instruction)
B. Factums - writing, strategy and advocacy
- Forget the Wind Up and Make the Pitch: Some Suggestions for Writing More Persuasive Factums by the Honourable Justice John I. Laskin
- Stephen V. Armstrong and Timothy P. Terrell, Thinking Like a Writer: A Lawyer's Guide to Effective Writing and Editing (N.Y.: Clark Boardman Callaghan, 1991) - avail. here
- Hon. Thomas J. Cromwell et al., Preparation of Factums (Aurora: Canada Law Book, 1996)
- Hon. Thomas J. Cromwell, ed., Effective Written Advocacy (Aurora: Canada Law Book, 2008) - avail. here
- Michael R. Fontham et al., Persuasive Written and Oral Advocacy in Trial and Appellate Courts (N.Y.: Aspen Law, 2002) - avail. here
- Bryan A. Garner, The Elements of Legal Style, 2d ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002) - avail. here
- Bryan A. Garner, The Winning Brief: 101 Tips for Persuasive Briefing in Trial and Appellate Courts (N.Y.: Oxford University Press, 1996) - avail. here
- Paul M. Perell, Written Advocacy, (Toronto, Law Society of Upper Canada, 1994)
- Steven D. Stark, Writing to Win: The Legal Writer (N.Y.: Broadway Books, 1999) - avail. here
- A good article on argumentation: "The Top Seven Arguments of the First Year of Law School and Their Counterarguments" by Julie Hilden, an attorney in Manhattan
