The memo and its mechanicsEl memo y su mecánica
Which Question Presented is best for an objective memo?
Under–does–when: the governing law, the legal question, the three or four facts that decide it, stated neutrally.Under–does–when: la ley aplicable, la pregunta jurídica, los tres o cuatro hechos decisivos, en tono neutral.
A Lawyer Writes ch. 13
A Brief Answer should begin with:
Answer first, then why, in under a hundred words.Primero la respuesta, luego el porqué, en menos de cien palabras.
A Lawyer Writes ch. 13
Which sentence belongs in a Statement of Facts?
Facts are specific, dated, sourced and neutral; the legal significance is shown by selection, not adjectives.Los hechos son específicos, fechados, con fuente y neutrales; su importancia jurídica se muestra por la selección, no por los adjetivos.
A Lawyer Writes ch. 14
In a CREAC argument, where does a case that the writer uses for an analogy first appear?
Explain first, apply second: the application may rely only on rules and cases the explanation already presented.Primero explicar, luego aplicar: la aplicación solo puede apoyarse en reglas y casos que la explicación ya presentó.
A Lawyer Writes chs. 7–8
The professor's rubric rewards counter-analysis. What is the best counter-analysis?
Predictive writing weighs the real counterargument and concedes when it has force.La redacción predictiva pondera el contraargumento real y concede cuando tiene fuerza.
A Lawyer Writes § 8.4
Which signal introduces a case that supports the proposition only by inference, so that the reader must take a small step from the case to the point?
See is the inferential-support signal; add a parenthetical explaining the step.See es la señal de apoyo por inferencia; añade un paréntesis que explique el paso.
Bluebook R. 1.2
Which sentence is edited best for plain language?
Actor, verb, object; the rule's words; nothing else.Actor, verbo, objeto; las palabras de la regla; nada más.
A Lawyer Writes ch. 16
When may you use Id.?
Id. points to the immediately preceding authority; one intervening cite breaks the chain.Id. apunta a la autoridad inmediatamente anterior; una cita intermedia rompe la cadena.
Bluebook R. 4.1; B10.2
A Texas court of appeals opinion is marked memorandum opinion and is available only on Westlaw. For the memo, you should:
Weber v. Fernandez on the professor's list is exactly this kind of citation.Weber v. Fernandez, en la lista de la profesora, es exactamente este tipo de cita.
Bluebook R. 10.8.1; Tex. R. App. P. 47.7
Explain in three sentences the difference between predictive and persuasive writing and why mixing them hurts a memo.
AnswerRespuesta: Predictive writing tells a colleague or client what a court will probably do, giving equal weight to the facts and authorities that cut against the client; persuasive writing argues to a court for one result and frames everything toward it. A memo is predictive: its value is that the reader can rely on it to make a decision. A memo that hides weaknesses or uses advocacy language misleads the supervising attorney and reads as untrustworthy to the professor.
- predictive = objective prediction incl. weaknesses
- persuasive = argument to a court
- memo must be reliable; advocacy language misleads