Search Results for: Plain language

Published in The Clarity Journal 81 – 2020. Introduction This article discusses how plain language in Australian family law combined with a clear process makes justice more accessible. Both substantive and procedural law are discussed. Justice requires minimal delays, minimal costs and accessibility. Law is accessible when substantive and procedural laws are understood by lay […]

Published in The Clarity Journal 81 – 2020. The right to a trial by jury is one of the fundamental elements of the American system of justice. Jurors are asked to engage in a complicated and difficult task, listening to different versions of facts provided by the parties at a trial and applying their understanding […]

Published in The Clarity Journal 80 – 2019. Every reader of this journal will be convinced that plain language revisions improve reading success. But in this article, I will argue that this improved success might not help the people you wanted to help in the first place; people who do not read as easily as […]

Published in The Clarity Journal 79 – 2018 The Plain Language Working Group is born – and gets to work The journey towards this options paper began at the 2007 PLAIN conference in Amsterdam. Three plain language organizations were considering issues, such as whether we should establish international standards for plain language, and what exactly […]

Published in The Clarity Journal 79 – 2018 The Standards Committee of the International Plain Language Federation is working to develop an international standard for plain language through the International Organisation of Standardization. The Standards Committee of the International Plain Language Federation is working to develop an international standard for plain language through the International […]

Published in The Clarity Journal 76 – 2018 By Neil James and Susan Kleimann No one could object to the evaluation of texts to assess their quality and effectiveness. Many evaluation methods exist, from readability formulas and expert reviews to usability tests and the analysis of outcomes. Yet in recent years, a divide has developed […]

Published in The Clarity Journal 56 – Nov.2016 Speech by Lord Justice Rix Clarity seminar at Denton Wilde Sapte 10 October 2006 I am very grateful to the organisers of this event for bringing me face to face with the subject matter of this talk. At first I received the invitation with some pleasure: it […]

Published in The Clarity Journal 62 – November 2009 Shortly after the Second World War, the British Treasury invited Ernest Gowers to write a train- ing pamphlet for the civil service on the use of English by officials. The  result,  Plain  Words, was published by His Majesty’s Stationery Office (HMSO) in April 1948. A review […]

Published in The Clarity Journal 62 – 2009 Dr Robert Eagleson Down the centuries, lawyers have regularly been the butt of criticism and cruel jokes be- cause of the convoluted way they write. From certain perspectives these unfavourable judgements are appropriate and fair; yet, in over 30 years experience working closely with lawyers, I have […]

Published in The Clarity Journal 82 – 2020. Introduction Persons under arrest receive a Letter of Rights, which explains them what are their rights : right to keep silent, right to get a lawyer, right to get medical help, etc. But this document isn’t adapt for them to correctly understand their rights, especially as they […]