Includes index

Introduction to the legal system -- Civil litigation in brief -- Criminal law in brief -- Transactional drafting -- Legal research -- Interpreting statutes and cases -- Oral and written advocacy -- The role of writing in the legal system -- Organization : form and logic -- Style : clarity, conciseness, and voice -- Mechanics : grammar -- Mechanics : punctuation -- Bullets, charts, and demonstrative aids -- Legal citation systems -- Writing in the criminal case -- Writing to confirm transactions -- Avoiding common mistakes -- Memoranda -- Pleadings -- Discovery -- Appellate writing -- Other legal writing -- Letters