Legal Examples

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

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

	Owner	Title	Doc Type	Principle	Subject
Show Before Examples

	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	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	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	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	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	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	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	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	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	Other Legal	practical use (combos)	Legal	B


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


	Office of the Federal Register	Timeline of Key Dates	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

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