Free Web Hosting Provider - Web Hosting - E-commerce - High Speed Internet - Free Web Page

6424 Version 1.3 Attorney Douglas Palaschak. 541 476 8954. Upgraded Wednesday, January 4, 2006. 9/4/07.

How to write a good post.

This page is http://www.lawyerdude.s5.com/6424.html and http://www.lawyerdude.netfirms.com/6424.html

1. Nobody is perfect but we can all strive for perfection - or at least improvement.

2. Top ten things that make a post BAD - and how to fix them:

a. Write your own header/ subject line. Don’t use the previous one unless it is right on.

b. Begin with your name, address, and telephone number. If you are afraid, then this ain the place for you.

c. Tell your story in chronological order.

d. Don’t complain about “the public defender”; state the name of the public defender, his telephone number, and address, and email address. Don’t use pronouns; use real names !

e. State your point. If you disagree then say so. If you agree then say so.

f. Back up your point with a case or statute.

3. Most posts are of the following types:

a. A stupid argument of absolutely no worth to anybody. Example: If they write FORD PROBE in ALL CAPS on your car registration, are they talking about your straw car?

b. A question. In my group I don’t answer hypothetical questions. I answer only real live legal problems.

c. A declaration. Example: “A guy told me that I don’t really own my car; the state owns it”

d. A statement of law such as a statute or a case.

e. A morsel copied from another site. Don’t bring us bullshit. Post a link back to where you got the stuff.

f. A short exclamation such as “I agree”. Teaparty moderator calls this “backslapping”. It wastes our time.

4. If you are writing a declaration, please state your point in the first sentence.

5. If you are talking about a statute, then post the statute. Also post a link to the statute.

6. If you are talking about a case, then post a link to the case. Also post the pertinent quote from the case that proves your point.

7. If you are writing a question, then state your question in the first sentence.

8. If you want help then tell your story in an orderly fashion.

a. Tell your story in chronological order. Each paragraph should begin with a date.

b. Make a list of players including each court.

c. Include yourself in the list of players; almost everybody forgets this.

d. Tell us your telephone number, email address, approximate home address at least, fax number, etc.

9. Here is a trick that we use to pass the bar exam: Save room for the first paragraph. Write the first paragraph last. The first paragraph is a summary.

10. Cut your post and paste it into a word processor.

a. Remove this characters: >

b. Do a spell check.

c. Edit your work.

11. There are 2 ways to receive posts:

a. You can receive them by email. The more stupid people use the email method. Email users are the problem people in the group. You know who you are. I call these people “Email message readers”

b. You can go to the group and read the posts by clicking on to the list of messages. I call the people “website message readers”.

12. Email readers can receive attachments. Website readers cannot receive attachments. Website readers are reading from the message archive. Four months ago Yahoo stopped archiving attachments; this is Yahoo’s war against pornography.

13. Clip your posts unless the tail is small and pertinent. Explanation: When your respond to a post the software usually attaches to your reply a copy of the original post - and the original post usually has a tail too. Soon you have 5 or more tails. Cut em off. You can use the “up thread button” to go to the previous post.

14. Don’t post attachments by mail; we “website message readers” can’t see them; they don’t archive; Yahoo did this to combat pornography.

15. Alternatives to posting attachments: 1. Upload to the files section; 2. Copy the text into the text box. 3. You can also copy a photo into the text box - but that is a little tricky.

16. Method 1: You can post upload your item into the files section of the website, but that would mean that an “email message reader” would need to learn to go to the website - and many of them are just too damn stupid to do that. You know who you are.

17. Method 2: You can copy the text from the attachment into the message box of your email.

18. In the lawyerdude group, please act as though you are in a courtroom or a law school.

a. Please address the class; don’t address opposing counsel.

b. Please back up your statement with a case or a statute.

c. Do not post bullshit from websites with an anonymous owner.

19. Ever mindful of stealthy encroachment, we learn to recognize modern day instruments of oppression. We conduct ourselves as if we were in a class room at law school. Here are links to my writing lessons on the web:

Motions 101: http://www.lawyerdude.netfirms.com/6025.html

How to Write a Brief: http://www.lawyerdude.s5.com/6435memo.html

20. Write your own papers or we will help you and write them for you.

21. We learn to speak in court: http://www.circuitlawyer.8m.com/5537.html

22. We learn the tools of this new wave of Pro Se Litigation; we learn to write and file effective papers.See for yourself. Here is a ink to our list of winning students. All the winning papers have telephone numbers and address printed at the top left corner! All their winning papers are linked to this following link: http://www.circuitlawyer.8m.com/traffic.html

23. What posts are welcome are listed here: http://www.lawyerdude.8k.com/6346.html

24. How to write a good post: http://www.lawyerdude.s5.com/6424.html

25. If you are asking about your case then please tell us name, state, phone number, chronology and list of players.

26. If you are bringing us legal cases and morsels then Please spell check and provide substantiation (case or statute) and a link.

27. Writing is a skill. Good writing can be learned. Your own good writing speaks well of you.

28. In the early 1900's Professor Strunk wrote a tiny book called “The Elements of Style”.

29. It is not about “fashion” or “style and grace” ; it is about “style of writing”. It tells you how to write well.

30. This tiny book is available at Barnes and Noble for $8.

31. The complete text of this tiny book is available for free on the internet. It’s legal.

32. The main theme of this book is this: Be concise. Write short sentences.

33. Write short sentences.

34. Try writing short sentences; you will receive an instant payoff. You will see for yourself. Try it. It’s fun!

35. Don’t use pronouns unless the meaning is unambiguous.

36. Learn the other rules from Strunk’s book entitled “The Elements of Style”.

a. Strunk’s book is short

b. Strunk’s book is online at Bartleby’s. http://www.caelin-day.com/pages/Style.html This link includes many books about grammar. Look for the link to “Strunk”. Or do your own Google search.

37. If you can’t type fast by touch then spend $16 at Office Depot for the “Mavis Bacon teaches typing” disk - or whatever it is called.