Plain Language: Improving Communications from the Federal Government to the Public


Powered by Google

 
Home
PL Law
PL Guidelines
Examples
Examples DB
Tips & Tools
Popular Topics
Resources
PL Websites
PL Legacy
Examples>Legal

Legal Examples

Support for plain-writing is growing in the legal professions,


External links are shown with a "external link icon".Key
A - an award-winning example
T - created for training, not an official version
B - has a "before" version

Show Before Examples
up arrow for sortingOwnerdown arrow for sorting up arrow for sortingTitledown arrow for sorting up arrow for sortingDoc Typedown arrow for sorting up arrow for sortingPrincipledown arrow for sorting up arrow for sortingSubjectdown arrow for sorting

    Animal and Plant Health Information Service     Requirements for dealing with animal care     Regulatory     lists     Science, Technology, and Environment      T   B 

    American Bar Association     American Bar Association Resolution     Regulatory     Not Specified     Legal    
The American Bar Association passed this resolution advising federal agencies to write regulations in plain language.

    Army     Information Security Program Handbook     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     US Government      B 
Regular

    Bureau of Indian Affairs     25 CFR Part 900     Regulatory     lists     Legal      T   B 

    Bureau of Indian Affairs     Mineral notices     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Science, Technology, and Environment      T   B 

    Bureau of Land Management     Second Plain Language Award Winner: Geothermal Power Licenses     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Science, Technology, and Environment      A   B 
Second Plain Language Award winner,PR

    Bureau of Land Management     Model Rule     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Legal    
Regular

    Bureau of Land Management     Leasing of Solid Minerals     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Science, Technology, and Environment    
Leasing solid minerals, other than coal, on public lands. Regular

    Bureau of Land Management     Monthly Due Date     Regulatory     short sentences     Science, Technology, and Environment      T   B 

    Department of the Interior     Regulatory Preamble     Regulatory     Not Specified     Legal      T   B 

    Department of the Interior     Reg preamble     Regulatory     active voice     Legal      T   B 

    Department of the Interior     43 CFR Part 4: Revised regulations for implementing Equal Access to Justice Act Adobe Acrobat Reader icon     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Legal    
revised 43 CFR Part 4

    Department of the Interior     Housing Grants     Regulatory     pronouns     Business and Finance      T   B 

    Department of the Interior     Application due date     Regulatory     pronouns     Not Specified      T   B 

    Department of Justice     Claims for Damages due to International Terrorism     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Legal      T   B 

    Department of Labor     Disaster unemployment assistance     Regulatory     pronouns     Housing, Labor, Benefits      T   B 

    Department of Transportation     Procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing     Regulatory     lists     Legal    
Regular

    Department of Education     Student loans     Regulatory     lists     Business and Finance      T   B 

    Environmental Protection Agency     Registering pesticide     Regulatory     active voice     Science, Technology, and Environment      T   B 

    Environmental Protection Agency     Reimbursement to Local Governments.     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Science, Technology, and Environment    
Regular

    English Parliament     Clearer Timeshare Act external link icon Adobe Acrobat Reader icon     Regulatory     Not Specified     Business and Finance    
English law regarding timeshare contracts.,Regular

    Federal Aviation Administration     Aircraft Maintenance     Regulatory     common words     Science, Technology, and Environment      T   B 

    Federal Aviation Administration     AIP grants 4     Regulatory     active voice     Business and Finance      T   B 

    Federal Aviation Administration     AIP grants     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Business and Finance      T   B 

    Federal Aviation Administration     Airport Maps     Regulatory     lists     Science, Technology, and Environment      T   B 

    Federal Aviation Administration     Airport Noise     Regulatory     common words     US Government      T   B 

    Federal Aviation Administration     Rulemaking Procedures     Regulatory     Not Specified     US Government      B 
FAA rules on making rules.,Regular

    Federal Aviation Administration     Regulation on manufacturing facilities     Regulatory     active voice     Science, Technology, and Environment      T   B 

    Federal Aviation Administration     Repair Issue     Regulatory     short sentences     Science, Technology, and Environment      T   B 

    Federal Aviation Administration     Airworthy Directives Regulation: 14 CFR Part 39     Regulatory     headings     Science, Technology, and Environment      T   B 

    Federal Communications Commission     Personal Radio Services     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Science, Technology, and Environment    
Rules on operating a CB radio station.,Regular

    Federal Emergency Management Administration     Disaster regulation     Regulatory     lists     Housing, Labor, Benefits      T   B 

    Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration     No Smoking     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Health and Safety      T   B 

    Fish and Wildlife Service     Alaskan harvest regulation     Regulatory     misplaced modifiers     Science, Technology, and Environment      T   B 

    General Services Administration     FACA applicability     Regulatory     tables     US Government      T   B 

    General Services Administration     GSA Travel Regulations     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     US Government      A   B 
PR

    General Services Administration     Third Plain Language Award Winner: Indirect Route or Interrupted Travel     Regulatory     Not Specified     US Government      A   B 
Third Plain Language Award Winner, travel.,PR

    Department of Housing and Urban Development     Voucher Eligibility     Regulatory     pronouns     Housing, Labor, Benefits      T   B 

    Department of Housing and Urban Development     Fourth Plain Language Award Winner: Housing Discrimination Complaints     Regulatory     common words     Housing, Labor, Benefits      A   B 
(edit) Fourth Plain Language Award Winner,PR

    Internal Revenue Service     IRS form CP2000 Adobe Acrobat Reader icon     Regulatory     Not Specified     Business and Finance      B 
Regular

    Minerals Management Service     MMS notice     Regulatory     Not Specified     US Government      B 
MMS notifications about Indian mineral owners.,Regular

    Minerals Management Service     MMS request denial.     Regulatory     common words     US Government      B 
Regular

    Minerals Management Service     Oil and Gas and Sulphur Operations Adobe Acrobat Reader icon     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Science, Technology, and Environment    
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

    Minerals Management Service     MMS Transportation Allowance     Regulatory     pronouns     Business and Finance      B 
If MMS doesn't consider a contract to be a reasonable value.,Regular

    Minerals Management Service     Right of use     Regulatory     hidden verbs     Science, Technology, and Environment      T   B 

    Minerals Management Service     Index prices     Regulatory     common words     Business and Finance      B 
Specifies which tables to use to determine index prices.,Regular

    Minerals Management Service     Title 30: Mineral Resources     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Science, Technology, and Environment    
Regulation on oil, gas, and sulfer operations in the outer continental shelf.,Regular

    National Aeronautic and Space Administration     Johnson Space Center Manual (example 3)     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Science, Technology, and Environment      B 
Johnson Space Center manual excerpt describing the hearing conservation program.,Regular

    National Aeronautic and Space Administration     Johnson Space Center Manual (example 2)     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Health and Safety      B 
Reporting and responding to emergency.,Regular

    National Highway Traffic Safety Administation     Small Business Impacts of Motor Vehicle Safety Adobe Acrobat Reader icon     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Health and Safety    
A notice that uses and refers to plain language.,Regular

    National Marine National Marine Fisheries Service     Fisheries Regulation     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Science, Technology, and Environment      B 
Regular

    National Park Service     Stuck vehicle     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Science, Technology, and Environment      B 
Holes created by stuck vehicles.,Regular

    Office of Management and Budget     Office of Management and Budget policy directive     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     US Government    
Website privacy policies.,Regular

    Occupational Safety and Health Administration     First Plain Language Award Winner: Much Improved Regulation     Regulatory     lists     Not Specified      A   B 
First Plain Language Award Winner,PR

    Occupational Safety and Health Administration     Welding safety precautions     Regulatory     misplaced modifiers     Health and Safety      B 
Regular

    Office of Surface Mining     Coal mining operations     Regulatory     Not Specified     Science, Technology, and Environment      B 
Control of mining operations.,Regular

    Small Business Administration     Notice and Deficiency Order Adobe Acrobat Reader icon     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Business and Finance    
Small disadvanted business certifications,Regular

    Security and Exchange Commission     Stock Exchanges     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Business and Finance      T   B 

    Department of State     Visa information     Regulatory     lists     Education, Literacy, and Culture      T   B 

    State of Pennsylvania     Plain Language Consumer Contract Act external link icon Adobe Acrobat Reader icon     Regulatory     Not Specified     Education, Literacy, and Culture    
Pennsylvania law requiring contracts to be written in plain english. Regular

    Stylewriter     FCA Form 161     Regulatory     active voice     Housing, Labor, Benefits      B 
Purpose of Form 161 for paying overtime.,Regular

    U.S. Employment Service     Denial of federal employment services     Regulatory     pronouns     Housing, Labor, Benefits      T   B 

    Veterans Benefits Administration     Pensions, Bonuses     Regulatory     practical use (combos)     Housing, Labor, Benefits    
Regular

    Veterans Benefits Administration     Veteran's Death Benefits     Regulatory     lists     Housing, Labor, Benefits      T   B 

    unknown federal agency     Department payments     Regulatory     lists     Business and Finance      T   B 

    unknown federal agency     Required Bill Statement     Regulatory     common words     Business and Finance      T   B 

    unknown federal agency     Special form     Regulatory     pronouns     Not Specified      B 
Suggestions for submitting a request to the Secretary.,Regular

    unknown federal agency     Fee Rate Surcharge     Regulatory     Not Specified     Business and Finance      B 
Will add a surchage to the first year's fee rate.,Regular

    Federal Judicial Center     Class action notices external link icon     Other Legal     practical use (combos)     Legal    
A discussion on using plain language in class action notices and sample notices,Regular

    National Institutes of Health     Informed Consent Template     Other Legal     practical use (combos)     Health and Safety    
Template for trial study consent document,Regular

    Non-Government Bank     Late bank payments     Other Legal     practical use (combos)     Business and Finance      T   B 

    Office of the Federal Register     Electoral College State Checklist Adobe Acrobat Reader icon     Other Legal     practical use (combos)     Legal      B 

    Office of the Federal Register     Electoral College Instructions to State Officials Adobe Acrobat Reader icon     Other Legal     practical use (combos)     US Government      B 

    Office of the Federal Register     Timeline of Key Dates Adobe Acrobat Reader icon     Other Legal     practical use (combos)     Legal      B 
Key Electoral College Dates

    Security and Exchange Commission     Seventh Plain Language Award Winner: Financial Disclosure Documents     Other Legal     short sentences     Business and Finance      A   B 
Seventh Plain Language Award Winner, on winter safety tips.,PR

    State of California     Jury Instructions: Evidence     Other Legal     common words     Legal      B 
Regular

    State of California     Jury Instructions: Proof     Other Legal     common words     Legal      B 
Juror instruction on ,Other

    State of California     Jury Instructions: Physically Disabled     Other Legal     common words     Legal      B 
Instruction on care required by the physically disabled.,Regular

    State of California     Jury Instructions: Recollection     Other Legal     common words     Legal      B 
Instruction on the value of eye witnesses.,Regular

    State of California     Jury Instructions: Psychotherapist's Responsibility     Other Legal     lists     Legal      B 
When a psychotherapist is required to report possible violent behavior.,Regular

    State of California     Jury Instructions: Circumstantial Evidence     Other Legal     common words     Legal      B 
Instruction about circumstantial evidence.,Regular

    unknown federal agency     Definition of     Other Legal     common words     Legal      T   B 

    unknown federal agency     Individual civil penalty.     Other Legal     common words     US Government      B 
When an individual civil penalty will be assessed.,Regular

    unknown federal agency     Interrogatory     Other Legal     lists     Legal      B 
An interrogatory may be answered with an opinion.,Regular

 
Browse Plain–Language Examples:

Browse Examples

Before-and-After Comparisons

Government Documents

Legal Documents

Award-Winners

Humorous Examples

Unofficial Examples (Created for Training)

Related Topics

Regulations

Using Plain Language in the Government

Government mandates

Community within the Government

Tips for Starting Plain-Language Programs

Using plain language in the legal profession.

Word suggestions

Many of these quotes are amusing.

 

 
Home|About Us|Contact Us|Privacy and Other Policies|USA.gov|HowTo.gov|Usability.gov
 
Technical support for this website is provided by the Federal Aviation Administration
PLAIN develops and maintains the content of this site

Download Adobe Acrobat Reader.external link