Writing a Legal Article

Law is a set of rules that forms the framework that ensures a peaceful society. It is enacted and enforced by the state, with sanctions imposed on those who break it. It is not an easy thing to define, and many books have been written containing numerous different ideas on what constitutes law. However, it can be broadly categorized into civil law, criminal law and administrative law.

Civil law encompasses the legal rights and duties of citizens, such as property ownership, contracting and inheritance. It is also the study of how courts conduct trials and hearings. It involves the rules that judges must follow as they build a case, and which materials are admissible at trial.

Criminal law focuses on the punishment of criminals. It includes the definition of crimes and their penalties. It also examines the role of prosecutors, public defenders and defence attorneys. It also concerns the rights and liberties of those accused of a crime, including their right to a fair trial and an adequate defence.

Administrative law encompasses the functions of government agencies, such as courts, prisons and police departments. It is also the study of how governments are structured and the rights of those who live within them.

Legal writing is complex from a methodological perspective, because it combines elements of social science and the humanities, and deals with topics that can be debated on the basis of philosophical, ethical or empirical grounds. It also deals with concepts of good and evil, the role of authority and the notion of justice (proper distribution of privileges and burdens in a society).

A legal article should be clear and concise. It should avoid jargon at all costs, and be able to be read by the average person. A specialized vocabulary should only be used when necessary.

Ideally, a legal article should be short enough to be read in one sitting. Alternatively, it should be broken into paragraphs with clear headings. This allows the reader to quickly and easily find the section they are interested in reading.

A legal article should be up-to-date, and provide its readers with the latest developments in a given area of law. It should also be able to identify any trends and possible future developments. Finally, a legal article should contain helpful links and other resources for further information. In addition, the author should include a disclaimer and provide contact details at the end of the article. This will help readers understand what they are reading, and how to get in touch if they have any questions or comments. The article should also contain a copyright notice and link to the legal website of the author. If the article is published in a journal, it should also be cited accordingly. This will help other researchers to locate it in future. The author should also make a note of any acknowledgements at the end of the article.