Text: Lawyer Zou Yujie
做一辈子刑辩，防一万人失足......
Criminal defense lawyer's legal documents, how to do so that people will read them?
In the field of criminal defense, legal documents are an important bridge for communication between lawyers and judges, prosecutors and other judicial personnel, and are also the key to demonstrating the professionalism and defense strategies of lawyers.
A good legal document can not only attract the attention of readers, but also effectively convey the lawyer's defense views and strive for the maximum legitimate rights and interests of the parties.
So, how do you write a legal document that is both professional and readable? Here are a few suggestions from a professional point of view:
First, pay attention to the appearance and thickness of the document
1. Appearance determines the first impression
Legal documents should pay attention to binding and typesetting, and the appearance should be neat and beautiful, so as to avoid giving people a rough and unprofessional impression.
Use consistent fonts, font sizes, and formatting to ensure a consistent style and enhance the overall visual appeal.
2. The thickness reflects the professional attitude
The thickness of the document should be determined according to the complexity of the case and the needs of the defense, not only to avoid lengthy and useless nonsense, but also to ensure that the content is comprehensive and detailed.
Through a reasonable chapter structure and content arrangement, it shows the lawyer's in-depth analysis and comprehensive grasp of the case.
2. Follow the principles of graphic design
1. The principle of intimacy
The related content is tightly arranged to form a clear logical structure, making it easier for the reader to understand the content of the document.
Use typographic techniques such as headings, paragraphs, and indentation to distinguish between different levels of information and improve the readability and hierarchy of your document.
2. Alignment principle
The text, pictures and other elements in the document should be arranged in line to keep the overall neatness and uniformity and enhance the visual effect.
Avoid using too much centering or right-alignment to match people's reading habits and aesthetic needs.
3. The principle of contrast
Highlight key information by bolding fonts, changing colors, etc., so that readers can quickly capture the important content in the document.
Contrasts should be used in moderation, avoid being too fancy or confusing, and ensure the professionalism and seriousness of the paperwork.
4. The principle of repetition
Repeat certain key words or sentence structures in the text appropriately to deepen the reader's impression and understanding of important points.
Repetition should help to reinforce the topic and enhance persuasion, rather than create redundancy and verbosity.
3. The importance of white space and breathing space
1. The aesthetic value of white space
The reasonable use of blank space in legal documents can give readers room for thinking and imagination, and enhance the artistic sense and attractiveness of the documents.
Avoid overcrowded or dense pages, balance the layout with appropriate white space, and improve the overall aesthetic of the document.
2. Creation of breathing space
Set parameters such as paragraph spacing, line spacing, and page margins reasonably to make the document more visually comfortable and pleasant.
Avoid piling up large paragraphs of text, and insert diagrams, cases and other elements in a timely manner to enrich the layering and readability of the document.
Fourth, professional and logical requirements
1. Professionalism is the cornerstone
Legal documents should use accurate and professional legal terms and expressions to ensure the accuracy and authority of the information.
Cite authoritative sources such as relevant laws and regulations, precedents, etc., to support your own views and argumentation process.
2. Logic is key
Documents should be organized according to a clear logical structure to ensure that they are organized and hierarchical.
Use logical connectives such as cause and effect, transition, and juxtaposition to guide the reader's train of thought and comprehension.
Fifth, details determine success or failure
The importance of proofreading and revision
Proofread and revise legal documents multiple times prior to submission to ensure that there are no typos, grammatical errors, and formatting issues.
Pay attention to check whether the use of punctuation marks is standardized and appropriate, so as not to affect the overall quality and professional image of the document.
Sixth, pay equal attention to pertinence and practicability
1. Be clear about your audience's needs
Identify the main audience of the document (e.g., judges, prosecutors, parties, etc.) before writing, and adjust the language style and expression to different audiences.
Make sure the content meets the expectations of professionals and is easy for non-professionals to understand.
2. Solve practical problems
Analyze and discuss the core issues of the case, and put forward concrete, feasible and targeted solutions or suggestions.
Avoid talking about theory or inconsequential details, and focus on practicality and implementation.
7. Case citation and data support
1. Cite relevant cases to enhance persuasiveness
Introduce typical cases that are relevant and representative of the case in appropriate places to provide strong support for opinions and enhance persuasiveness.
Pay attention to the reliability and authority of the source of the case, and ensure that it is of guiding significance for the handling of the case.
2. Data-backed views are more credible
Collect and collate relevant data, statistics or research results to support your own opinions, and improve the credibility and persuasiveness of the content of your essay.
Pay attention to the authenticity and reliability of the data sources, and interpret the data reasonably to avoid misleading readers or creating ambiguity.
To sum up, writing a legal document that is both professional and readable requires a lawyer to work on several aspects:
Reflect professionalism from the appearance and thickness;
Follow graphic design principles to enhance visual effects;
Blank space gives the reader room to think;
Pay attention to professional and logical requirements;
Attention to detail ensures quality;
At the same time, it takes into account the pertinence and practicality;
Finally, the persuasiveness is enhanced through case citation and data support.
Only by continuously learning and practicing these skills can we write better legal documents and strive for the best rights and interests of the parties.
Author: Zou Yujie
Founder of Nine Chapters Criminal Defense, founder of Anhui Lawyer Portal;
Director of the Criminal Committee of Bozhou Lawyers Association, Director of Jinyatai (Bozhou) Law Firm, Outstanding Legal Aid Lawyer, Chief Legal Consultation Expert of Qiaocheng District Law Society......
Goal: Twenty years of brute strength to save 100 lives!