Debunking the Efficacy of Standard Contract Boilerplate: Part III

Authors

David Spratt, American University Washington College of LawFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Fall 2021

Journal

VBA Journal

Volume

48

Issue

2

First Page

10

Last Page

11

Abstract

There are several things wrong with this paragraph. First, the heading "Knowledge of Residence" is underinclusive, as the paragraph concerns more than where each party lives. A more inclusive and effective heading would be "Knowledge of Contact Information." Second, the introductory phrase is ambiguous, as one could read "for so long as the minor children are less than eighteen years of age" as requiring the parties to exchange information only until one of the parties' children turns 18. Moreover, "eighteen years of age" is archaic and clunky legalese. Keep it simple, solicitors: "eighteen" or "age eighteen" would suffice. Applying these revisions, the introductory phrase now reads "Until the parties' youngest child turns eighteen."

Recommended Citation

David Spratt, Debunking the Efficacy of Standard Contract Boilerplate: Part III, 48 VBA Journal 10 (2021).
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/facsch_lawrev/2132