Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 2 of 2
Full-Text Articles in Law
Implementing Plain Language Into Legal Documents: The Technical Communicator's Role, Peggy Bivins
Implementing Plain Language Into Legal Documents: The Technical Communicator's Role, Peggy Bivins
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This thesis discusses the benefits of using plain language in legal documents and the role technical communicators can play to help implement plain language. Although many definitions for plain language exist, it is best described as reader-focused communication that presents information in a manner that makes it easy for a reader to find, understand, and use the information. Plain language facilitates comprehension by using shorter, less complex sentences; active voice; and common words. All these elements aid in processing and understanding information, especially unfamiliar concepts. Laypeople, unversed in the law, frequently have difficulty understanding traditional legal writing. The complex sentences, …
At The Magistrate's Discretion: Sexual Crime And New England Law, 1636-1718, Abby Chandler
At The Magistrate's Discretion: Sexual Crime And New England Law, 1636-1718, Abby Chandler
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This dissertation is a comparative study of sexual crime trials in four New England jurisdictions: Essex County, Massachusetts, Plymouth Colony, The Province of Maine, and Rhode Island Colony. It argued that sexual crime trials could be used as a tool for studying the diverse and changing legal cultures of different regions within New England. Whether morality or child support was under discussion, sexual intercourse outside of marriage threatened to disrupt the social and economic bounds of early modern society. Nevertheless, methods for addressing the issue varied widely in New England, depending on the jurisdiction in question. As a result, examining …