How Judges Decide Cases: Reading and Writing Judgments

This unique book offers a practical guide to deconstructing judgments for the purpose of fair criticism and appeal. It shows how judgments are written and examines the style and language of judges expressing judicial opinion. It will assist experienced practitioners, newly appointed recorders and tribunal chairman.

The work is founded upon independent research in the form of interviews conducted with judges at every level from deputy district judge to Lords of Appeal in ordinary, and the practical application of existing academic material more usually devoted to the structure and analysis of wider prose writing. It is illustrated by reference to reported judgments, both well-known and obscure, of the past 100 years.

Contents include:

. The nature of judgment
. How to read a judgment
. The use of language in judicial opinion
. Argument and legal logic
. Fair criticism
. Writing judgments
. How judges decide
. The appellate judgment
. Problems with law reporting
. Judicial style

The author is a practising barrister in the UK and a Professor of Mediation for a US university.