What Is a Legal Document?
A legal document is a formal document that declares some contractual relationships and gives some rights between the parties involved in the transaction. It serves as the written proof of the scopes and limitations of a person's rights and privileges. Some of the most well-known legal documents are the following: agreements, affidavits, contracts, financial statements, legal deeds, and last will and testament.
How to Write a Legal Document?
According to a U.S. Small Business Organization, small businesses make up 99.7% of all businesses in the United States of America, thereby making them a vital part of the country's progressive economy. Starting a business is as tough as closing it. You have to prepare various legal requirements such as business plans, general partnership agreement (if you have a business partner), LLC operating agreement, employment agreement, non-disclosure/confidentiality agreement, etc. The aforementioned documents are all technical papers, therefore, writing these documents requires you to be keen. Here are a few guidelines that can help you in writing your legal documents.
1. Include the Details of the Transaction
The details of the transaction such as the date, information of the parties involved, terms and conditions, etc. are the meat of your legal document. Let's assume that you are drafting a legal contract. The details of the parties involved in the transaction should be mentioned in the contract for it is a way of being transparent and it prevents miscommunication and misunderstanding from happening. These details include the name/company name, address, contact information, etc.
2. Write in the Active Voice
Refrain from using the passive voice in your writing because it makes the sentence longer. Meanwhile, utilizing the active voice eliminates confusion since it forces the writer to name the subject of the sentence. Let's say that you are writing a subpoena or a family member loan agreement. The aforementioned documents should be timely, therefore, you have to write it using the present tense.
3. Conciseness is the Key
As mentioned earlier, legal documents are technical papers, therefore, it should be written in a concise manner. Words are not only conveyors of information, in fact, they also present the emotion and the mood of the selection. This is not your avenue to be creative. As much as possible, do not use ambiguous words that have multiple meanings because it can mislead your reader.
4. Refrain from Using Gender-Biased Language
The usage of gender-biased language is widely practiced, thereby making it a concern of gender equity. Your goal is to avoid gender bias and sexism in your writing since this kind of practice has no place in business. You have to use a gender-neutral language whenever possible. Lastly, choose words that apply equally to men and women.
5. Proofread
Before you decide to print and present the legal document, you have to make sure that it is already free from conspicuous mistakes. You can run it through a software program or an application that is designed to check the spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. However, do not be confident about the result. You can re-check it or you can have an editor to do it for you.
General FAQs
What are some of the Most commonly used Legal Documents?
Some of the most famous legal papers are:
- Power of Attorney.
- Bill of Sale.
- Divorce Settlement Agreement.
- Child Care Authorization.
- Quitclaim Deed.
- LLC Operating Agreement.
State the Different Legal Forms of Ownership?
The most common forms of business are sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, and S corporation. A Limited Liability Company (LLC) is a business structure allowed by state statute. Legal and tax considerations enter into selecting a business structure.
- Sole Proprietorships
- Partnerships
- Corporations
- S Corporations
- Limited Liability Company (LLC)
What are the Steps to Making any Legal Document?
In order to prepare yourself to Present Your Case:
- Read the Complaint.
- Find copies of contracts and any other written communications between you and the other side.
- Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your case.
- Prepare your documents and evidence for trial.
- Identify and prepare any witnesses.
- Practice, Practice, Practice your presentation.
Is it Safe to Use Online Legal Templates?
Four legal experts from Forbes Legal Council answered whether or not business owners should ever modify contracts and agreements readily available online and what precautions they have for those who do decide to use them:
1. Documents Are A Start, But Can’t Replace Legal Counsel.
2. Even Minor Changes Affect The Document’s Validity.
3. The Risk Might Not Be Worth The Reward.Which Legal Documents are Usually used in a company?
Here is a list of the 10 most common legal documents to help you determine what your business needs.
- Company bylaws for corporations.
- Meeting minutes.
- Operating agreement for LLCs.
- Non-disclosure agreement.
- Employment agreement.
- Business plan.
- Memorandum of understanding.
- Online terms of use.
