Legal text is often filled with complex legal jargon that can be intimidating and hard to understand. This page is designed to help you utilize digital resources as effectively as possible, and help you break down the more complex language.
Sometimes, just starting from the beginning of a resource and reading is not always the easiest way to comprehend the material, especially when legal text can be full of jargon that is not easy to understand.
Prepare Key Terms
The first step of any resource is to know what you are looking for. What was your original question to the library?
For example, let's say you asked "I am looking for an answer form for a debt collection complaint." Then, important search terms could be "answer, response, form, complaint." Searching key terms in the document can help you find the parts of the resource that are most important to your case.
Microsoft Edge PDF Viewer
Opening your PDF in Microsoft Edge, you can utilize highlighting, commenting, and annotation tools.
- Use the “Find” tool to search for terms pertinent to your legal issue.
- Read the text starting before where you found the search term and well after.
- Highlight terms that need clarification or further research in blue.
- Highlight what is most helpful in yellow.
- When text is highlighted, you can right-click to add a "Comment," allowing you to make notes within the document. If you need to find the legal definition of a term, you can put the definition in the comment.
- You can also add a text box, draw (good for circling and pointing to text that relate to each other) to further help as you read.
If you find a sentence difficult to understand, break down the sentence as you go.
Here is a short excerpt from the legal text Family Law in Oregon (2023 ed.):
“Circuit courts have jurisdiction over dissolution proceedings and other family and family-related matters, including child custody and the support of a child or a spouse. See ORS 3.130; ORS 3.255(1); ORS 3.260; ORS 3.270.”
Define Legal Terms
While you may know generally the definition of a term, legal terms oftentimes have definitions that are specific to the law. If there is a legal term that you need clarification on, feel free to email us for a definition at [email protected] or stop by and ask for Black’s Law Dictionary behind the reference desk.
NOLO also has a free plain language legal dictionary available online.
From the example before, here are some definitions of legal terms that were confusing on the first read:
Dissolution (legal term): "The process of dissolving (ending) a marriage or a business. (See also: divorce, dissolution of corporation)" NOLO Online Dictionary Dissolution Definition
"1. The act of bringing to an end; termination. 2. The cancellation or abrogation of a contract, with the effect of annulling the contact's binding force and restoring the parties to their original positions. 3. The termination of a corporation's legal existence by expiration of its charter, by legislative act, by bankruptcy, or by other means; the event immediately preceding the liquidation or winding-up process." Black's Law Dictionary
Dissolution of Marriage: "Another term for a divorce, used in many states." NOLO Online Dictionary
"1. Divorce." Black's Law Dictionary
Dissolution (general term): 1: the act or process of dissolving: such as
a: separation into component parts
b (1): decay, disintegration (2): death… "grew convinced of his friend's approaching dissolution …"—Elinor Wyliec.
2: termination or destruction by breaking down, disrupting, or dispersing
"the dissolution of the republic"
"their marriage's dissolution"
d: the dissolving of an assembly or organization
"the dissolution of the legislature" (Merriam-Webster)
While the Merriam-Webster general definition of dissolution was helpful, the legal dictionaries helped narrow down exactly what a dissolution is in a legal context. Now we know, dissolution is another term for divorce, so the legal text Family Law in Oregon claims that circuit courts have jurisdiction over divorce cases.
Defining legal terms and breaking down confusing parts of sentences can help you better use these resources and understand your legal situation better.
Understanding Citations
ORS: Oregon Revised Statutes. "The Oregon Revised Statutes are the codified laws." Family Law in Oregon is citing the law directly to back up its legal claim. "ORS" is a shorthand citation for Oregon Revised Statutes. Oregon Revised Statues are available publicly on the internet, just search “ORS 3.130” or the law you are specifically looking for on any web browser to read the law the text cites.
We also have physical copies of the ORS available in the library.
There are a variety of shorthand citations that legal text will use. Some other common citations are:
ORCP: Oregon Rules of Civil Procedure. "The Oregon Rules of Civil Procedure govern civil proceedings in Oregon circuit courts."
UTCR: Uniform Trial Court Rules. "The Uniform Trial Court Rules (UTCR) are statewide rules that apply in each of Oregon’s 36 circuit courts. The UTCR promote the just, speedy and inexpensive resolution of cases, the efficient use of court resources and a uniform, consistent practice across the state."
OAR: Oregon Administrative Rules. "Oregon Administrative Rules (OARs), often called just “Administrative Rules,” are created by entities with rulemaking authority per Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 183.310(9) to implement or interpret their specific statutes."
Rewrite in your own Words
Once you have a better understanding of the text, a helpful tool is to rewrite and summarize what you read in your own words. This can help you figure out what you did understand and what you need to look over again.
Disclaimer
This page is not intended as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed attorney. As a self-represented litigant, your case is ultimately your responsibility. As library staff, we are unable to interpret the law or help you with close reading of the law. This page is intended as a guide to effective reading.
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