Plain English for drafting statutes and rules / Robert J. Martineau, Robert J. Martineau, Jr.
2012
KF250 .M365 2012 (Map It)
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Items
Details
Author
Title
Plain English for drafting statutes and rules / Robert J. Martineau, Robert J. Martineau, Jr.
Published
New Providence, NJ : LexisNexis, [2012]
Copyright
©2012
Call Number
KF250 .M365 2012
ISBN
9781422499146
1422499146
1422499146
Description
xii, 136 pages, 5 unnumbered pages : illustrations ; 26 cm
System Control No.
(OCoLC)802183285
Bibliography, etc. Note
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Record Appears in
Added Author
Table of Contents
pt. I
WHY STATUTORY AND RULE DRAFTING IS SO POOR AND HOW TO IMPROVE IT
1
ch. 1
The Never Ending Struggle
3
A.
The Historic Problem Of Poor Legal Drafting
3
B.
Efforts To Improve Legal Drafting
4
C.
The Special Problems Of Statutory And Rule Drafting
5
D.
Critics Of Plain English In Drafting Statutes And Rules
8
E.
Our View
9
pt. II
THE SPECIAL ENVIRONMENT OF DRAFTING STATUTES AND RULES
11
ch. 2
How Statutes Get Made In A Legislative Body
13
A.
The Drafting Process
13
B.
The Enactment Process
15
1.
The Formal Process
16
2.
The Political Process
19
ch. 3
Federal Administrative And Court Rulemaking
23
A.
Federal Administrative Rulemaking
23
1.
History of Agency Rulemaking
23
2.
Source of Rulemaking Authority
24
3.
The Rulemaking Process
26
a.
Introduction
26
i.
The Informal Rulemaking Process
26
ii.
Commencing the Rulemaking Process --- Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
28
iii.
Preparation of the Proposed Rule
28
iv.
Preparation of the Final Rule
29
v.
Exemptions from Informal Rulemaking Requirements
30
4.
Statutory Constraints on The Rulemaking Process
31
a.
Congressional Review
32
b.
Paperwork Reduction
32
c.
Plain English
33
d.
Small Business Impacts
33
e.
Unfunded Mandates
34
f.
Information Quality
34
g.
Environmental Impacts
34
5.
Executive Orders and Rulemaking Procedures
35
a.
Cost vs. Benefit
35
b.
Tribal Consultation
35
c.
Energy Supply Implications
35
d.
Federalism
36
e.
Children and Environmental Health Risks
36
f.
Environmental Justice
36
g.
Property Rights and Takings
36
6.
Judicial Review of Agency Rulemakings
36
B.
Federal Court Rules
38
ch. 4
State Rulemaking
39
A.
Administrative Rulemaking
39
1.
Introduction
39
2.
The Model State Administrative Procedure Act
40
a.
Introduction
40
b.
General Provisions
40
c.
Public Access to Agency Law and Policy
40
d.
Rulemaking Proceedings: Procedural Requirements
41
i.
Introduction
42
ii.
Commencing the Rulemaking Process --- Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
42
iii.
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
43
iv.
Final Rule Issuance
44
v.
Petition for Rulemaking
44
e.
Executive Review of Agency Rulemaking
45
f.
Legislative Oversight of Agency Rulemaking
46
g.
Judicial Review of Agency Rulemaking
48
3.
Local Government Rulemaking
48
B.
Court Rules
49
1.
Sources of Authority and Subjects Covered
49
2.
Rulemaking Process
50
ch. 5
Statutes And Rules In The Courts
53
A.
The Meaning Of Statutory Interpretation Or Construction
53
B.
The Importance Of Statutory And Rule Interpretation To The Drafter
53
C.
Statutory Rules Of Interpretation
54
D.
The Literature On Statutory Interpretation
55
E.
Canons Of Construction Limited To Statutory Or Rule Text
57
F.
Canons Of Construction Concerning Sources Outside The Text
59
G.
Legislative History
60
pt. III
CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGISLATIVE RULES GOVERNING STRUCTURE OF A BILL
61
ch. 6
Mandatory Form And Language
63
A.
Federal
63
B.
State
66
C.
Content Requirements
66
1.
Identification and Numbering System
66
a.
Federal
66
2.
First Words
67
3.
Title and Single Subject
67
4.
Enacting Clause
68
5.
Amendments to Existing Law
68
6.
Municipal
68
7.
Examples of Bills and Ordinance
69
ch. 7
Arrangement Of Bill Sections
73
A.
Mandatory Provisions
73
B.
Optional Provisions
73
1.
Short Title
73
2.
Purpose, Policy, or Findings Statement
73
C.
Implementing Provisions
74
1.
Placement in Existing Code
74
2.
Severability
74
3.
Saving Clause
74
4.
Effective Date
75
5.
Emergency
76
D.
Substantive Sections
76
E.
Subdivision By Letters And Numbers
76
pt. IV
PRINCIPLES OF DRAFTING STATUTES AND RULES IN PLAIN ENGLISH
79
ch. 8
The Effect Of. Structure And Style On Substance
81
A.
To Write Is To Think
81
B.
The Relationship Between Structure, Style, And Substance
82
ch. 9
The Drafting Process
85
ch. 10
Plain English Principles On Word Choice
89
A.
Use "Common And Known Words"
89
B.
Achieve Brevity And Clarity By Eliminating Unnecessary Words
90
C.
Use Simple Rather Than Compound Expressions
92
D.
Eliminate Legalese
93
E.
Use The Same Word To Express The Same Thought --- The Necessity For Consistency
94
ch. 11
Ambiguous And Other Troublesome Words
97
A.
Importance Of Understanding What Troublesome Words Are And The Differences Between Them
97
B.
Ambiguous Words
97
C.
Vague Words
98
D.
General Words
99
E.
The Differences Between Vague And General Words
99
F.
Intentional Use Of A Vague Or General Word
99
G.
Confusing Ambiguity With Other Types Of Poor Drafting
100
H.
How To Eliminate Ambiguity, Unintended Vagueness, And Over And Under Generality
100
I.
Commonly Misused Words And Phrases
101
1.
"No Person Shall" "Shall Not" And "This Act (Section) Shall Not Be Construed To"
101
2.
Assure, Ensure, And Insure
101
3.
Share
102
4.
Only
102
ch. 12
Plain English Principles And Rules On Drafting A Sentence
103
A.
Basic Principles
103
1.
The Simple Declarative Sentence --- The Drafter's Best Friend
103
2.
Use Short Sentences
104
B.
General Rules On Crafting The Subject And Predicate
105
1.
Make the Subject a Singular Rather Than a Plural Noun
105
2.
Use the Verb in the Predicate in the Active Rather Than Passive Voice
106
3.
Put the Verb in the Present Rather Than the Future Tense
106
4.
Use the Finite Verb Rather Than Its Noun Version
107
5.
Draft the Sentence in the Positive Rather Than the Negative Form
107
6.
Follow the Verb With an Object or Complement
108
C.
Further Rules To Aid Clarity
108
1.
The Subject
108
a.
Identifying the Subject
108
b.
Use an Article Rather Than an Adjective as the Subject's Modifier
109
c.
Minimize Use of Pronouns
110
2.
The Predicate
111
a.
The Verb
111
i.
Place the Negative With the Verb in the Predicate Rather Than With the Noun in the Subject
111
ii.
Use "May" to Create a Right or to Grant Authority or Discretion
112
b.
Use "Shall" to Require an Action
112
3.
Rules Applicable to Both Subject and Predicate
113
a.
Place a Qualifier Before the Subject or After The Predicate and as Close as Possible to the Word Modified
113
b.
Punctuate With Care
114
c.
Tabulate for Clarity
116
ch. 13
Rules On Drafting Specific Provisions Or Words
119
A.
Introduction
119
B.
Definitions
119
1.
When to Define
119
2.
Placement of Definition
119
3.
The Difference Between "Means" and "Includes"
120
4.
Do Not Include Substantive Provisions With the Definition
120
5.
Exclude the Word Denned from the Definition
120
6.
Include Only Words That are Commonly Understood to Fit Within the Word Defined
120
C.
Conditions And Exceptions
120
1.
Conditions --- If, When, or Where
120
a.
If
121
b.
When
121
c.
Where
121
2.
Exceptions
121
3.
Establishment of a Governmental Entity or Position
121
4.
Penalty
122
5.
Age, Day, Date, Number, and Time
122
a.
Age
122
b.
Day and Date
122
c.
Number
123
6.
Capital Letters
123
7.
Hyphen
123
8.
Cross Reference
123
Appendix Examples Of Bills And Ordinance
125