LARC Checklist for Drafting Rules and Illustrations

Must be a complete sentence

Must be stated in the present tense

Must govern future conduct or circumstances

Must apply generally, rather than specifically

Must have a citation for EVERY rule

Must proceed from broad to narrow

What are the requirements for Rules Sections?

Must be a narrow implicit or synthesized rule

Must have a signal (“See” because it’s an implicit rule)

Must have a citation

Must have an explanatory parenthetical that shows the reader why the assertion is accurate

What are the requirements for Rule Proofs?

Must begin with a principle-based topic sentence in present tense (narrow implicit rule or synthesized rule)

Must identify the issue of the case

Must identify the material facts of the case

Must identify the reasoning of the case

Must identify the holding of the the case

Must have a citation after EVERY sentence

Must identify parties by their roles

Must be stated in the past tense (except PBTS)

What are the requirements for Case Illustrations?

Should never be enclosed in parentheses

Must have both party names (properly abbreviated and italicized)

For published cases, must have volume, official reporter, initial page number

For unpublished cases, must have docket number, database identifier

Must have pincite

Must have abbreviated court name

Must have date of decision - for published cases year only, for unpublished cases month+day+year

What are the requirements for Full Citations?

Must use id. where appropriate (if citing the exact same source as the previous citation)

Must include pincite if material is on a new page

Where id. is not appropriate, must use shortened version of the case name (generally the first party name only)- for published cases add volume, official reporter, and pincite. for unpublished cases, add database identifier and pincite

No court or date is included

What are the requirements for Short Citations?

Must be double-spaced

Must be 12-point times new roman

Must indent paragraphs

Must have 1-inch margins

What are the formatting requirements?