Snippets from The Reduced Law Dictionary, by Roderick Ramage
Case citation dates
Square brackets are used in full case citations, if the year is integral to locating the report (eg [2010] 2 All ER 123). Round brackets are used where the year is not required, usually because there is a unique volume number regardless of year (eg (2008) 11 CCLR 218). Where a full citation is not given but only the year is cited, the year of the hearing is usually shown in round brackets. On occasions both may be used, eg, if the hearing date is so far removed from the reported date that it is felt necessary to give both.
Dealing with wingers
This was written by a bus company:
Dear Sir,
We acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 10th inst claiming compensation for injuries to your daughter Jane on the school bus that morning. Jane is well known to our drivers. She is a pesky little nuisance and will never do what she is told. If she wouldn’t sit down when told to it serves her right that she
