Skip to content

Plain english Quote by Charles M. Fox

“The notion that commercial contracts should be written in plain English so as to be understood by people who would never be expected to read them is an unreasonable extension of the plain English movement, which is aimed at helping consumers and other unsophisticated parties.” quote by Charles M. Fox
Download Open image
““The notion that commercial contracts should be written in plain English so as to be understood by people who would never be expected to read them is an unreasonable extension of the plain English movement, which is aimed at helping consumers and other unsophisticated parties.””

Charles M. Fox

About This Quote

Source Essay: The Limits of Plain English, Legal Writing Review, 2010

Plain English should aid consumers, but demanding it for all contracts overreaches and can oversimplify complex legal terms.

In simple terms: Plain English is for consumers, not all contracts.

Key Takeaway

Use plain language where appropriate.

Themes

law accessibility complexity

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

analysis opinion

When to use this quote

  • consumer contracts
  • terms of service
  • legal notices

Key Concepts

plain language movement contract drafting

Questions to Reflect On

  • When is plain language insufficient?
  • How to balance clarity with legal precision?
A Different Perspective

Over‑simplification may obscure essential legal nuances.

4.9 out of 5 (3 ratings)

More by Charles M. Fox

Explore all 32 Charles M. Fox quotes

More Plain english quotes

Browse all 20 Plain english quotes