Law Commons^™

George Orwell's Classic Essay On Writing: The Best Style Handbook For Lawyers And Judges, Douglas E. Abrams

Faculty Publications

As Orwell's title intimates, the essay included criticism of political writing done by government officials and private observers. The essay's staying power, however, transcends the political arena. By calling on writers of all persuasions to "simplify your English," Orwell helped trigger the plain English movement, which still influences legislators, courts, administrative agencies, and law school legal writing classes.

This article proceeds in two parts. First I describe how judges, when they challenge colleagues or advocates in particular cases, still quote from Orwell's plea for clear expression and careful reasoning. Then I present Orwell's diagnosis of maladies that plagued contemporary prose, …