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December 19, 2008
Writing Well: The Overstatement
See at The Trial Practice Tips Weblog "The Only Writing Tip That Really Matters", which quotes William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White's The Elements of Style:
When you overstate, readers will be instantly on guard, and everything that has preceded your overstatement as well as everything that follows it will be suspect in their minds because they have lost confidence in your judgment or your poise.
Posted by Holden Oliver at December 19, 2008 11:59 PM
Comments
This is an insightful comment that all lawyers should remember. It is equally applicable to oral submissions where you lose the judge's trust as soon as you are caught in an exaggeration.
Posted by: Brenda Hollingsworth at December 19, 2008 08:26 PM