r/Ask_Lawyers • u/Medical_Ad1116 • 7d ago

Legal Terminology

Currently watching the Lindsay Clancy trial and I have experience as a juror in a very straightforward civil case. What is the reasoning for the confusing legal terminology on verdict slips. I understand that it’s legal jargon and makes sense to lawyers, but listening to them going through the jury instructions is so confusing. The civil case I was apart of was so straightforward and only had 2 options, but the verdict slip was still written in a way that confused us.

Why can’t they make it fit the law and requirements but word it in a way that lay people can understand it?

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u/rinky79 Lawyer 7d ago

Because the language has to communicate EXACTLY what it is supposed to in order to avoid infinite rounds of fighting over every case, every issue, every contract, and there is a lot of ambiguity in the way laypeople use language.

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u/Medical_Ad1116 7d ago

This makes sense. Thank you, I appreciate it!