Plain Language in Civil Procedure Contexts

- on-line Course

* English Level necessary for the course: Advanced (B2)

This two-month term course will combine the basic theoretical concepts related to both Plain Language Standards and Civil Procedure (different stages in a civil l action) The main purpose is to provide students with the tools necessary to understand court documents written in English and those necessary to rewrite and edit those documents to understand the underlying meaning. It is a combination of theory and practice to know and understand the different kinds of documents used in the civil process.

INTRODUCTION TO PLAIN LANGUAGE BASICS.

Uses of different tools to achieve a clear writing and editing of texts related to civil l procedure. 

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

- To review Plain Language Standards for legal documents.

- To review Civil Procedure in the Common Law System.

- To analyze terminology connected to Civil Procedure.

- To incorporate Editing Skills.

- Revisiting Text Structure: Super, macro and micro structures.

- Analyze the typical court documents.

- The typical structure of court documents.

- How to organize information in long and short documents.

CIVILPROCEDURE BASICS

- Consider litigation or ADRs

- Pleading Stage: Initial Pleadings 

- Pre-trial Stage: motions, defenses and preparation for trial

- Pre-trial Conferences: Discovery

- Trial Stage

- Post-trial Stage

Professor: TP Rita Tineo

Platform: ZOOM