Information and materials on restyling the Federal Rules of Practice, Procedure, and Evidence.
General Style Guidelines
- Essentials for Drafting Clear Legal Rules (2024 ed.) (PDF)
- Guidelines for Drafting and Editing Court Rules (1996 ed.) (PDF)
- Bryan Garner, Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage (2d ed. 1995)
Rules Restyling Background
- Article by Style Consultant (2024) (PDF)*
Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure (style amendments effective December 1, 1998)
Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure (style amendments currently on track to take effect December 1, 2024)
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (style amendments effective December 1, 2007)
- Restyled Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (PDF)
- “Guiding Principles” for Restyling the Civil Rules (PDF)
- Lessons in Drafting from the New Federal Rules of Civil Procedure** (PDF)
- Article by Reporter on Civil Restyle Project*** (PDF)
Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure (style amendments effective December 1, 2002)
Federal Rules of Evidence (style amendments effective December 1, 2011)
- Restyled Federal Rules of Evidence (PDF)
- Overview of Style Project (PDF)
- Articles by Style Consultant [Part 1 (PDF)] [Part 2 (PDF) [Part 3 (PDF)] [Part 4 (PDF)]****
* Copyright 2024 Duke University School of Law and R. Joseph Kimble. Posted with permission from copyright owners.
** Copyright 2009 Scribes Journal of Legal Writing and R. Joseph Kimble. Posted with permission from copyright owners.
*** Copyright 2004 University of Notre Dame and Edward H. Cooper. Posted with permission from copyright owners. Article obtained from Westlaw and posted with permission from West.
****Posted with permission from the author and the Michigan Bar Journal.