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Supreme Court of Ohio Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger offered tips July 21 to public service attorneys on how to draft and edit briefs to educate and persuade judges.
Justice Lanzinger led the final session of an all-day, free Continuing Legal Education (CLE) course for Attorney General’s Office attorneys and paralegals. During her session, “Writing to Persuade the Court,” she spoke to the class about her view of legal writing and what judges look for in reading briefs. The program was approved for six general CLE hours.
“Understanding your purpose, organizing your thoughts, and redrafting are fundamental to good legal writing,” Justice Lanzinger said. “The conventions of appellate writing require attorneys to develop specialized skills. In short, write as if the grammar police are at your shoulder, re-read your words with a fresh eye and listen to them with your inner ear. Find an editing buddy.”
Justice Lanzinger is the first woman elected to every level of Ohio’s judiciary. The 150th Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio, she previously served on the 6th District Court of Appeals for Ohio, the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas and the Toledo Municipal Court. Her experience at all levels of the Ohio judiciary allows her a unique perspective of the state court system. She currently chairs the Supreme Court’s Commission on Superintendence, which recommends rules for all Ohio courts. As a former elementary and high school teacher, Justice Lanzinger enjoys speaking to the community about the judicial process. She also teaches regularly at the Ohio and National Judicial Colleges.