意见书格式（精选9篇）
篇1：意见书格式
一、进一步加大环保宣传力度，一是将在全市进行广泛宣传，多方发动，在全市形成开展环境保护工作营造良好舆论氛围。二是采用形式多样的教育方法，采用创建绿色学校等方式，将环保工作“从娃娃抓起”。三是充分利用新闻媒体的舆论监督作用，加强与市电视台的联系，作好环保新闻报道，宣传好的治理典型，抨击环境违法行为。四是加强对各级党政领导、企业法人、群众的环保宣传教育，努力提高全社会环境保护意识，营造浓厚的环境保护氛围。
二、加大水污染治理力度，制订了《XXX市造纸企业综合整治实施方案》，通过加大造纸工业结构调整力度，关闭万吨以下小造纸，督促企业上马二级生化处理系统，完成了造纸企业重组兼并工作。并通过开展XXX改造、绿化等综合治理措施，强化环境执法和监督管理，全面改善XXX水环境质量，确保**年XXX出境水质COD浓度达到90mg/L以下;**年XXX出境水质COD浓度达到70mg/L以下;20**年XXX出境水质COD浓度达到50mg/L以下。
三、切实加强对我市大气污染企业环境污染防治工作力度，改善人民群众生活环境。一是对全市大气污染企业开展年检工作;二是在全市范围内开展了大气污染严查行动，对超标排放企业从严从重进行处理;三是按照省、郑州市环保工作目标要求，对污染严重大气企业依法开展关闭工作;四是对城区内锅炉使用单位召开集中整治会议，着力解决城区污染严重问题;五是对全市范围内的“小炼油”、“小沥青”等“十五小”企业开展了摸底调查和取缔工作。
四、我们将有计划、有步骤地开展环保执法大检查，对突出的环境污染和不法排污企业进行专项整治，严厉打击各类环境违法行为，对不能够达标排放的企业要坚决予以关闭，对环境违法案件的有关责任人按照《关于违反环境保护规定行政责任追究暂行办法》依法进行处理。
篇2：意见书格式
参考描述
二、覆土高度评估测算
1、目前覆土情况公示
2、最大可承受的覆土高度评估
3、增加覆土高度，以便种植大树
三、具体细节建议
1、大门
现状：目前的大门设计太直白，有明显的压迫感，没有考虑风水业主要求：增加私密性，减小压迫感，提高用料档次，考虑风水因素实施建议：
1)拉长大门楼梯(一直拉伸到和商业街外延持平)，减小坡度
2)左右两边修建无障碍通道
3)中间的水池改建(建议取消中间的水池，在两边修建水池)
4)大门石料选择要高档，有优美感和时代感
5)增加大门的绿化面积
6)建议参考兰溪谷和熙园的大门设计
7)建议在大门口修建水幕墙，水幕墙前设计上时尚的，水幕墙后面修建楼梯，楼梯方向可以是平行于水幕墙。也就是说，楼梯修建在侧面。
8)大门的铁门要用优雅，高档的铁艺
2、商业街
现状：商业街的铺面装修低档，像大冲的铺面，没有绿化，没有休闲设施业主要求：提高商业街的装修档次，增加绿化，增加休闲设施
实施建议：
1)提高地面和铺面的装修材料的档次
2)增加绿地和大树
3)增加休闲椅和其他休闲设施
3、游泳池，会所
现状：游泳池高出地面，栏杆用料低档，会所门口设计不好业主要求：提高用料档次，解决游泳池高出地面带来的弊端，优化会所门口空地的设计
实施建议：
1)游泳池栏杆用料低档，容易生锈，建议改换不锈钢栏杆或者安全的木质栏杆，栏杆选择也保证安全性，优美性，不能破坏园林风格
2)游泳池外墙周围增加一圈覆土，种植上高于游泳池地面的灌木和乔木，以遮挡高出地面的游泳池水泥石料外墙
3)取消八棵蜡烛，改种芒果和灌木(树种选择可以请专家建议，但是必须是枝繁叶茂，能够遮阴的数目)
4)取消会所大门的水池，改建程平地喷泉。喷泉上面覆盖钢化玻璃，()玻璃下面安装彩灯，平时可以行人。
5)会所楼顶进行绿化
6)会所外墙涂料已经脱色，要求重新刷上高档的防水涂料
7)会所的空调隔音问题要解决
4、小区园林
1)商业街背后的梯形水泥花池，建议修改成全部覆土的土坡，然后种植上草坪，载上灌木和乔木，进行立体绿化。
2)小区原理要求增加遮阴的树木，树种选择搭配请园林专家指导。
3)种植白兰花，月桂可以香气宜人。
4)在园林里面增加空中立体绿化，如防潮防热木架种一些爬行植物。
5)建意将架空层统一纳入整个园林来考虑绿化休闲问题，这样又统一风格又使园林面积增大。另建意参考金域蓝湾。
6)小区内的通道上增加休闲椅和木架，木架上种上攀藤植物可遮阳又可绿化。
7)7座楼体除入口外，其他空地要求全部进行绿化。
8)要求公示目前架空层的规划和设计。
5、小区四周围栏样式陈旧，配合园林重新设计。
篇3：DJVU格式与PDF格式的比较
一般常见的JPEG、PDF、TIFF压缩技术都无法同时达成高分辨率及较小的图像档案。但DJVU压缩技术则可以完全解决这些问题。下面主要对DJVU格式与PDF格式进行介绍，并给出两种格式的比较。
1 DJVU简述
DJVU是由美国AT&T实验室于1996年开发成功的一项新的图片压缩技术，其主要技术是将图像分为背景层(纸的纹理和图片)和前景层(文本和线条)。通过将文字和背景分离开来，DJVU可以用高分辨率来还原文字，使锐利边缘得以保留，并最大限度地提高可辨性;同时用较低的分辨率来压缩背景图片，从而使整个图像的质量得到了保证。
传统的图像压缩格式对于强对比色彩区域之间的色彩反差的可辨性差，对例如文字的还原难以令人满意。一般来说，要确保文字和线条的清晰度，需要较高的分辨率(通常为300dpi)，而反映连续色彩图像和纸张的背景机理不需要很高的分辨率(通常为100dpi)。要提高清晰度，最好的方法就是将这些元素分为不同的层来进行处理。DJVU通过将文字和背景分离开来，可以用高分辨率来还原文字，使锐利边缘得以保留，并最大限度地提高可辨性，同时用较低的分辨率来压缩背景图片，从而使整个图像的质量得到了保证。
使用DJVU格式，用户首先会很快得到页面的一个最初版本，这个版本主要是含有文字的前景层。随着后续信息的到达，图像质量不断提高。DJVU能达到很高的的图像品质，是因为它的技术能够将扫描文件的图像分离。它能分辨出文字及图片的部分，并且分别储存在不同层，再分别对每一层图像以最佳化的方式进行压缩，因此能产生最好的图像品质及最小的档案。这种技术将能得到清晰的文件图像而又能保持原始文件的图像品质。
通过DJVU压缩格式，以300dpi分辨率扫描的彩色页面可以从25MB缩小到30KB至80KB，而且图像质量十分优秀。对于同时包括文字和图像的彩色文件来说，DJVU文件在同等质量下通常比PEG文件小5～10倍。对于黑白页面来说，DJVU文件通常比JPEG文件小10～20倍，比GIF文件小5倍。对于那些由扫描文件制作而成的黑白PDF图像来说，DJVU文件也要比它们小3～8倍。
使用DJVU将没有任何延迟的等待时间。若比较PDF格式及DJVU格式的下载时间，对同一份50页的彩色文件而言，当DJVU下载完成后，PDF格式仅下载了一页文件。DJVU下载后的图像直接储存在计算机的内存中，并且可以在浏览器上快速地对文件进行实时的移动、缩放。换言之，DJVU能使人们只花很少的时间来扫描、储存及下载大量文件。扫描的文件可上网快速下载。DJVU可以轻易地将大量的文件以清晰、且令人难以置信的档案大小放置在网络上，供任何人观赏。压缩后的图像档案比起PDF要小得多。图像品质极高且文字清晰，可对观赏中的文件图像进行缩放、平移、分离及打印。含有缩略图功能，能先预览所有的图像画面。可以将任何的文件放置在网页上浏览。
DJVU拥有图像超级链接的功能，只要利用鼠标点选就可以轻易地建立超级链接，将所选定的区块连接至其它网站，或开启另一份新的文件。使用者的界面也极简便易学，可以直接将扫描文件转成DJVU格式，也可以建立各种样式的超级链接。另外，DJVU提供免费下载的插件，让任何人都可以在浏览器之下观赏DJVU的文件。由于DJVU压缩后的档案相当小，甚至可以将文件以E-mail附件的形式进行传送。
2 PDF简述
PDF全称Portable Document Format，是一种电子文件格式。这种文件格式与操作系统平台无关，也就是说，PDF文件不管是在Windows,Unix还是在苹果公司的Mac OS操作系统中都是通用的。这一特点使它成为在Internet上进行电子文档发行和数字化信息传播的理想文档格式。越来越多的电子图书、产品说明、公司文告、网络资料、电子邮件开始使用PDF格式文件。PDF格式文件目前已成为数字化信息事实上的一个工业标准。
Adobe公司设计PDF文件格式的目的是为了支持跨平台上的，多媒体集成的信息出版和发布，尤其是提供对网络信息发布的支持。为了达到此目的，PDF具有许多其他电子文档格式无法相比的优点。PDF文件格式可以将文字、字型、格式、颜色及独立于设备和分辨率的图形图像等封装在一个文件中。该格式文件还可以包含超文本链接、声音和动态影像等电子信息，支持特长文件，集成度和安全可靠性都较高。
PDF文件使用了工业标准的压缩算法，通常比PostScript文件小，易于传输与储存。它还是页独立的，一个PDF文件包含一个或多个“页”，可以单独处理各页，特别适合多处理器系统的工作。此外，一个PDF文件还包含文件中所使用的PDF格式版本，以及文件中一些重要结构的定位信息。正是由于PDF文件的种种优点，它逐渐成为出版业中的新宠。
对普通读者而言，用PDF制作的电子书具有纸版书的质感和阅读效果，可以“逼真地”展现原书的原貌，而显示大小可任意调节，给读者提供了个性化的阅读方式。由于PDF文件可以不依赖操作系统的语言和字体及显示设备，阅读起来很方便。这些优点使读者能很快适应电子阅读与网上阅读，无疑有利于计算机与网络在日常生活中的普及。Adobe公司以PDF文件技术为核心，提供了一整套电子和网络出版解决方案，其中包括用于生成和阅读PDF文件的商业软件Acrobat和用于编辑制作PDF文件的Illustrator等。Adobe还提供了用于阅读和打印亚洲文字，即中日韩文字所需的字型包。
3 DJVU与PDF比较
从技术上讲，DJVU在将纸质文档转换成电子文档方面，由于其文件小、质量高、成本低的特点，优于PDF。实际上，一些用PDF不可行的项目已经由DJVU圆满完成。
下面分析一个项目，什么情况下使用PDF比较好，什么情况下使用DJVU比较好。
当项目有以下特点时，建议使用PDF:
1)文件内容不受人关注。PDF插件程序非常普遍，几乎每个人都有。如果用户为了您的材料需要取得DJVU浏览插件，且您的材料对他们来讲并不重要，也许用户会放弃此文件。
2)文件大小无关紧要。如果项目比较小，并且用PDF加工的文件正好适合您需要的CD目标容量，或者您的网络比较通畅，并且您的文件比较小，那么就选择PDF。
3)文档是黑白线性图。如果项目不是很大并且文件大小不是至关紧要的，这种项目PDF比较适合。
4)有较高的预算。将扫描文件制作成较小、高品质的PDF文件是可能的，但是工作量非常大，因而花费较高。尽管如此，有些项目还是值得的。
反之，当项目有以下特点时，建议使用DJVU:
1)文件有照片或者彩色或者其他复杂图形。文件大小非常重要。比如：一套CD或者拨号上网的用户要从忙碌的网络上下载您的文件。
2)项目很大但预算很少。通过扫描得到小PDF文件的成本非常高，尤其当它们不仅仅是黑白文件的时候。
3)文件内容受人关注。如果您放置了一些对访问者来讲比较重要的信息在网上，那么用户将会愿意取得DJVU插件这个小麻烦的。
DJVU格式的文件是目前世界上图片格式压缩体积最小、图像质量损失最少的解码格式，特别是对于在我国刚刚兴起的电子图书业来说，这种格式的图书文件制作及其推广将极具吸引力。DJVU同PDF格式的跨平台性和流行性上来比，要解决的推广和被广大用户的认可，还有很长的一段路要走。
摘要：目前流行的数字文档格式很多,各有优缺点,文章主要对DJVU格式与PDF格式技术原理及各自优势进行了简单介绍,对两种格式的优缺点进行了剖析,针对不同情况下使用何种格式给出了建设性意见。
关键词：DJVU,PDF,数字化,文档格式,比较
参考文献
[1]黄晨.基于DJVU格式的数字图书馆[J].图书情报技术,2004(5).
[2]王良莹.数字化信息的理想传媒形式——PDF便携文档解析[J].电脑知识与技术,2008(4).
篇4：格式！格式！
多年前我刚刚开始学编剧时，对格式这个玩意也持不屑一顾的态度。我从前是学理工科的，美国的理科论文对格式的要求非常严格，比如在列举参考文献时，一个标点符号也不能出错。作为一个喜欢用“少许”、“大约”这些模糊定量概念来探索真理的中国人，我对这些吹毛求疵的要求深恶痛绝。后来好不容易换到了文科，居然立刻又碰上了这些死板的规定，刚要大松一口气的我把剩下的半口气又憋了回去，郁闷地没有吃下晚饭。文学创作（假如大家慨然允许我把剧本写作称为文学创作的话）竟然还要受所谓格式的限制，我毅然认为这实在违背文学的本质。当老师在课堂上不厌其烦地向我们强调剧本格式的重要性时，不但是我，我热爱自由的美国同学们也表示出了不耐烦，还有一个家伙干脆把老师唠唠叨叨的丑态写进了剧本里加以嘲笑。在他的描述中，这位老师像个精神病患者一样来回重复着一个词：“格式！格式！……”大家不约而同地想起了《越战启示录》中马龙白兰度绝望的呓语：“The horror！The horror！”（恐怖！恐怖！）
然而，不按格式写作的剧本，会被判作不合格，一个更让人沮丧的消息是，听说好莱坞的剧本审读者，只要看到一个不符合格式的剧本，他连一个字都懒得读，就直接枪毙掉。所以我们都忍着怨气，学习了英文剧本的格式，并在之后的写作中，努力做到一个标点符号都不出错。这种满腹怨气的状态没有持续太久，实际上，顶多持续到写第二份作业的时候，大家就变得无所谓了，而到写第三次作业时，我相信大家已经变得相当快活，不但不为在“枷锁”中写作感到痛苦，还享受到了一种刚刚学会开车时的快乐。至于现在，我不但可以毫不犹豫地说剧本格式是个好东西，而且还会把它和诗词的格律、音乐的曲谱、绘画的透视法则相提并论，这些“格式”并没有限制住这些艺术形式的自由，反而逼迫出了更多的创造力。我甚至悔恨地想到，当初写理科论文时，我本可以体会到更复杂的格式带来的更多快乐。
英文剧本的格式其实很简单，比起诗词的格律来，简直像四则运算和微积分的差别。我可以肯定，一个智力健全的人，只需要花上不超过十分钟，就可以完全掌握所有的规定。英文剧本和中文剧本格式（如果有一个的话）最大的区别，就是对白的位置要放到中间，而且每行的长度只有页面宽度的一半左右，这样看起来非常醒目。英文比中文有一个方便之处，可以分大小写，比如人物第一次出现时，名字要大写，好让制作者和演员容易找到，而中文除了加黑，很难实现这个功能。在需要强调一个特写时（比如便条上的一行字），通常会单开一行来“插入”这个信息。英文剧本的字体也有规定，要用Courier New，字号是12（相当于中文字体“小四”的大小），如果一位缺乏同情心的剧本审读者看到了一个对其他字体有所偏好的剧本，多半也会直接扔掉。剧本封面上的电影名称，也约定俗成地采用12号字的大小，而不像中文剧本封面上的标题那样恨不能铺满整页纸。我猜这大概是一种工业化成熟之后的谦卑态度。此外，所有英文剧本的开头第一行字通常是FADE IN（淡入），最后一行字是FADE OUT（淡出），这几乎成了编剧们开始和完成剧本时的一个仪式。了解这些内容，十分钟应该足够了吧。其实，美国早就有了Movie Magic Screenwriter和Final Draft这些剧作软件，编剧根本不用自己排版——写到这儿，我感到这篇文章也有些多余。
篇5：处理意见书格式
处理意见书格式
一、现将本文书的制作要点介绍如下：
1．首部：
（1）标题。居中写明“法律意见书”。
（2）咨询单位名称。
（3）有关事项。
2．正文：
（1）出具法律意见书在政策、法律上的根据。
（2）具体法律意见和需要明确的有关事宜以及可行性分析。
（3）针对当事人所咨询的有关事务进行分析和阐述。
3．尾部：律师及律师事务所名称及提出意见的时间。
二、格式：
法律意见书
咨询（或委托）单位名称：
咨询（或委托）事项：
出具法律意见书的依据：
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律师对该事项的情况分析：
律师对该事项的处理意见：
律师对相关事项的附带意见：
律师
律师
法律意见书
范本：
致：中国建设银行××市分行××支行
作为中国建设银行××市分行××支行的委托指定的个人住房贷款业务法律事务承办机构，××市××律师事务所指派律师王××、稹痢炼源?钌昵肴薃先生提供的借款中请资料进行了审查，依据国家和××市的有关法律、法规，出具本法律意见书。
一、借款申请人A先生，购买××花园××号房屋，房屋面积××平方来，总价款为人民币××万元，购房合同编号为××，并选择了“开发商保证”担保方式向中国建设银行××市分行申请个人住房贷款，同时提供了相关的贷款资信文件（个人贷款资信证明是我行根据贷款人的申请，出具的载明申请人以个人担保方式在银行获得 和贷款真实记录的书面证明文件。），具体内容详见附件。
二、出具本法律意见书的主要依据：
（一）《中华人民共和国合同法》
（二）《中华人民共和国担保法》
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（三）《借款合同争例》
（四）《中国人民银行个人住房贷款管理办法》
（五）《中国建设银行北京市分行住房担保细则》
（六）《北京市房地产抵押管理办法》
（七）《北京市商品房销售价格管理暂行办法》
（八）《律师事务所、公证处承办个人住房贷款业务中有关法律事务的规范意见》
（九）中国建设银行北京市分行与北京市公证处签订的《委托协议》
（十）中国建设银行北京市分行与房地发展商签订的《住房贷款合作协议》
（十一）国家和北京市其他有关法律、法规和规章
三、根据本法律意见书第一条所述资信文件（包括复印件）和第二条所述有关法律、法规、规章和协议的规定，并根据我们与A先生的谈话，确认如下事实：
（一）借款申请人A（19××年××月××日出生，身份证号为××××××××，××学历），现住××市××区××路×号，具有××市城镇正式常住户。
（二）借款中请人A先生具备必要的还款能力。借款申请人A先生自19××年××月起在××公司工作，任经理职务。其19××年税后月平均收入为××元人民币；××年××月至××月税后月平均收入为××人民币。借款申请人现持有××公司××的股份。该公司于19××年注册成立，注册资金××万元人民币。
（三）借款申请人意思表示真实。
1．借款申请人填写了《个人住房贷款申请表》；申请20年××万元个人住房贷
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款，约占购房价款的70％，其余30％的购房款××万元已支付给发展商××房地产开发有限公司。
2．借款中请人自愿选择“开发商保证”的担保方式申请贷款，并愿以其所购买的××花园××号房屋作为抵押物，于××年××月××日在我们面前分别签署了《承诺书》、预售房屋登记《授权委托书》、办理抵押登记《授权委托书》，借款中请人所填《个人住房借款申请表》中的担保人××房地产开发有限公司之印鉴属实。
3．抵押物的保险符合《中国建设银行北京分行个人住房担保细则》的规定。
基于以上事实，我们认为借款中请人A先生提供的资料真实、齐备，基本符合中国建设银行××市分行个人住房贷款条件，且初步申贷手续已履行完毕，具备签订个人住房贷款借款合同的资格。
本法律意见书仅用于借款中请人A先生向贵行申请个人住房抵押贷款并由贵行办理申请抵押贷款事宜。
本法律意见书正文共三页，其后之附件均为本法律意见书不可分割之组成部分。相关法律文件的复印件与原件无异。
王××律师
篇6：法律意见书(格式)
关于陈稳根与张灿钦交通事故人身损害赔偿纠纷一案的法律分析意见书
——广东金卓越律师事务所黄成昌律师、陈雷实习律师
尊敬的陈稳根先生（以下简称委托人）：
首先感谢委托人对广东金卓越律师事务所和本律师的信任和支持！我们将秉承律师行业公认的服务标准及律师职业道德和执业规范，尽心尽责办理委托人所委托的事务，并在法律的框架下，为维护委托人的合法权益作出不懈努力！
受委托人的口头委托，广东金卓越律师事务所指派黄成昌律师就有关委托人与张灿钦交通事故人身损害赔偿纠纷一案根据委托人告知的相关案情、提供的相关材料，对本案进行了初步的审查与分析，现根据相关的法律法规，提出以下分析意见：
篇7：法律意见书格式
( ) 字第 号
公司：
本律师是 的法律顾问，接受 委托，参与贵公司与该厂的处理活动。为了维护双方的合法权益，特提出如下法律意见，希望贵公司予以采纳：
一、
二、
三、
为了避免讼累，本律师请贵公司今后仍可继续合作，以上意见，请贵公司慎重考虑。三个月后，若贵公司 ，本律师将代理该厂向人民法院起诉。
此致
律师事务所律师
律师：
律师：
篇8：信访答复意见书格式
信访事项答复意见书
XXX（信访人）：
你于XXXX年XX月XX日反映，XXXXXX（信访人反映问题概述）。我单位进行了认真的调查处理。现将有关情况答复如下：
1、关于你反映XXXXXXXXX问题
经查：由于你村口粮田位于市化肥厂周边，地下水源污染比较严重，无水浇地。根据村民的要求，于2008年8月12日，村委召开村民代表会议进行研究，并一致通过村委将口粮田反包，由村委统一管理，统一承包，增加的收入，按人口进行分配，该协议自2008年9月1日开始实施。
2、关于你反映XXXXXXXXXXX问题
经查：你村2007年第九届村委会换届选举后，村按程序选举产生了新的村民代表，并选举产生了理财小组。由于上届理财小组拒不上交理财公章，为便于开展工作，新一届村委会又制作了一枚理财公章，并张榜公示，原理财公章作废。
综上调查，处理意见如下：
1、XXX村人均地之外的土地仅有边角零星地35亩，枣树沟地54亩（27条），近几年新增人口70人。考虑到枣树沟地因防洪需要，在经过3次党员和群众代表会及走访情况看，党员群众意见分歧比较大，没有形成统一意见，不便作为人口地分配。
2、责成管区尽快落实村级班子，待班子健全后抓紧研究所剩35亩边角零星地的人均分配问题。
如不服本处理意见，信访人可自收到本处理意见书之日起30日内向平度市政府（地点设在信访局）书面提出复查申请，逾期不申请复查，本处理意见书即为该信访事项的终结性意见。
（承办单位印章）
XXXX年XX月XX日 信访人签字（手印）：
XXXX年XX月XX日(上访人拒签： 证明人：XXX XXX)经手人： 联系电话：
篇9：英文法律意见书格式
WRITING AN OFFICE MEMORANDUM
If you work as a paralegal or law clerk after your first or second year of law school, you will most likely spend some of your time researching and writing objective memoranda, or interoffice memos. Typically, an attorney asks you to provide a realistic analysis of the law as it applies to the facts of a client’s case. The purpose is to inform not persuade. Although you should remember which conclusion favors your client, also keep in mind that you will represent the client most effectively by being objective and realistic.
The memo might be read many times possibly, over a period of months or years by several different attorneys, including the writer, who may use it as a resource long after it is drafted. The attorney will use the information contained in the memo to advise the client and may use it to prepare a document that will ultimately be filed in court. For example, a partner may be asking you whether a particular client has a valid legal claim. If you conclude that the answer is “yes,” then this will probably turn into a lawsuit. At that point, some parts of the memo may be incorporated when the complaint is drafted. The memo might me consulted a third time when the attorney responds to a motion to dismiss; a fourth time while drafting interrogatories; a fifth time before making a motion for summary judgment; a sixth time before trial; and a seventh during an appeal; and so on.
PARTS OF MEMO[1]
1. A memorandum heading
2. The Issue (sometimes called Question Presented) states the question(s) that the memorandum resolves. The Issue also itemizes the few facts that you predict to be crucial to the answer. (Such as travel expenses to out-of-state, keeping child out of danger, and commission of crime). The reader should understand the question without having to refer to the facts.
3. Brief Answer (sometimes called Conclusion) states the writer’s prediction and summarizes concisely why it is likely to happen. Some writers begin with a direct response such as “yes” or “probably not.” Our book says that they do not prefer this. Sometimes this is client or partner driven. Also, some questions lend themselves to answers such as “yes” or “no.” Allusion to determinative facts and rules. Do not omit key facts. Begin by just re-stating your issue as a declarative sentence. Do not omit the reasoning. Do not include citation to authority or application of relevant law. Many attorneys only read this part.
4. Facts set out the facts on which the prediction is based.
5. Discussion is the largest and most complex part of memo. It proves the conclusion set out in brief answer. If the discussion is highly detailed or analyzes several issues, it should be broken down into subheadings.
Here is what the memo will look like and more information on each section.
MEMORANDUM
TO: Senior Partner [Please block-indent so that the information lines up, as demonstrated]
FROM: Your Name
DATE: (date assignment is submitted)
RE: (A concise label for the issue considered: mention the parties; your firm will file your Memo by names and cause of action--and, perhaps, by jurisdiction)
The proper format is always double-spaced. Do not double-double space between sections. Plain old, regular double-space is sufficient.
FACTS
Here, recite all material facts, usually in chronological order. A “material” fact is a “dispositive” fact, or one upon which the outcome will depend. It is a fact that will affect the outcome in one way or another. Please include all material procedural facts as well as all material substantive facts. This means that it is essential to include all relevant times, dates, and places. You should begin with an “overview” sentence that sets the full context and begins to describe the problem presented. Please review your reading and as many samples as possible to understand both the range and scope of what is acceptable as professional practice.
Remember your role
Watch for the tendency to try to “prove” something by the way you tell the story. NO LEGAL ANALYSIS!
1) USE NEUTRAL LANGUAGE AND OBJECTIVE CHARACTERIZATIONS. Rather than writing “the D was speeding through the school zone,” write “the D was traveling 50 MPH through the school zone.” Rather than writing “The D brutally beat the victim,” write “The D struck the P on the head, resulting in a cut over his left eye.”
2) Include unfavorable and favorable facts.
QUESTION PRESENTED
Phrased as a question and ending with a question mark, state the specific issue or issues you will address. One method is to use the technique: under? (describe the law); does? (state the issue); what? (give the legally relevant or “dispositive” facts).
Some memoranda use the commonly seen style of: “Whether . . . .”
As always, discuss with your professor to see which he or she prefers.
But whatever the method, the following advice applies:
Should be concise single sentences that include relevant facts and general propositions of law.
Don’t say, “Whether a niece can recover for negligent infliction of emotional distress,” when you can say, “Whether, under Iowa law, a niece who witnesses the aftermath of an automobile accident involving her uncle from a block away can recover for negligent infliction of emotional distress when she observes his severe injuries upon arrival at the scene.”
BRIEF ANSWER
You phrased (or asked) a question in the section above. Answer it here: “Yes.” “No.” “Probably not.” Use a period. Your Brief Answer follows the same formula and sequence as your Question Presented. It answers the questions “under? does? what?” except, the Brief Answer should include a brief statement of your reasons beginning with the word “because.”
DISCUSSION
The heart of a Memorandum, this section asks you to explain the law and explain the facts. Getting it “right” will take time. Be patient. Your goal is to “synthesize” the cases and extract a common rule of law. To do this, you will need to identify the common elements that allow you to analyze and discuss several cases at once. A common mistake, legal writers frequently engage in “listing behavior.” They treat each case independently and sequentially, beginning each paragraph with “In”--for example, “In Callow v. Thomas” or “In Brown v. Brown.” Looking down a written page, the lawyer will see a ladder-like effect, the “in-ladder,” where each succeeding paragraph begins with the word “in” followed by a case title. Often “listing behavior” culminates in “dump-trucking” when the lawyer saves up and “dumps” all the legal analysis into the last paragraph. In addition, lawyers will frequently “front-load,” squeezing all the legal rules of law into the very first paragraph.
To avoid these pitfalls, begin your discussion with a general overview in a thesis or “roadmap” paragraph. Your thesis paragraph is the first paragraph in the Memorandum and the first paragraph in a Discussion section. Always begin your thesis paragraph with a sentence to anticipate--and announce--your ultimate conclusion. Tell the reader where you are headed and be a tour-guide to your argument or analysis.
Then, taking one point at a time, write a thesis sentence that answers the questions of “what-is-your-point?” of this particular paragraph. Next, set forth the legal Rule that applies. Include the proper citation. Next, Analyze (explain) what the law or legal rule means. Next, Analyze (explain) how the relevant facts fit (or do not fit) the legal or factual standard. Finally, Conclude each paragraph with a summarizing statement and each sub-issue with a specific sub-issue summary.
Sometimes, this method is referred to as a variation of the acronym: IRAC. Other legal writing professors have some other acronym such as REAAC or FIRAC. Still, others simply refer to it as the 5-step process. Keep in mind that these are all “formulas” that legal writing professionals are using to introduce you to presenting a legal argument. Ultimately, you will use a style or formula that works best for your particular argument. But virtually every aspect of every legal argument must contain a 1) Statement of Rule or Applicable Law; 2) Analysis of the law and how it Applies to your relevant facts; and 3) a Conclusion on each of these sub-issues. Similarly, when a discussion requires several paragraphs, the writer may not reproduce the exact IRAC structure within each and every paragraph, but may require several paragraphs to develop fully the full set.
As always, know your audience and talk about the method of legal analysis that your professor, or in the future, your employer, prefers. And remember that learning how to synthesize statutes, cases, and secondary sources and then presenting them in a clear, concise, and logical manner takes time and practice.
A FEW IDEAS ABOUT WRITING MEMORANDA[2]
Many students, approaching memo writing for the first time, are often unsure of how to proceed. We have put together a few tips for first (and second and third) time memo writers that we hope will be helpful.
Note: No single set of guidelines could possibly address all the matters related to memo writing. If you have questions about a particular assignment, be sure to check with your professor.
1. Find the test(s). In assigning a memorandum, professors are generally evaluating you on parsing a particular statute or test. In other words, they want you to use other cases to explain how your case either does or does not satisfy a test laid out in a case or a statute.
For example, let’s say your case involves a niece (Mary) who witnessed her uncle (Jack) being injured in an automobile accident. Mary wants to bring suit for negligent infliction of emotional distress as a result of witnessing that accident. In Burger v. McDonald, the Supreme Court of Iowa laid out a three part test to determine whether a bystander’s injury was reasonably foreseeable and, thus, legally actionable:
1. Whether the bystander was located near the accident.
2. Whether the injury resulted from sensory and contemporaneous observance of the accident, as opposed to hearing about it from others after its occurrence.
3. Whether the bystander and the victim were closely related.
NOTE: If the memo involves more than one issue, your memorandum may involve more than one test.
2. Use the test as your outline. Tests come in two parts, or three (as above), often with subsections. Ideal for an outline. Use the major parts of the test as your major points, the subparts as sub-sections.
Paragraph Structure
3. Begin paragraphs with affirmative propositions that parallel the test. In the above example, your first sentence should say something like: “Mary was located near the scene of her uncle’s accident, satisfying the first part of the Burger test.”
4. Support your affirmative propositions. All propositions of a legal nature must have legal support. Where is your authority for your proposition? Cite it. For example: “See Burger, 606 N.W.2d at 321 (bystander must be located near accident to recover for negligent infliction of emotional distress).”
5. Discuss the facts of your support. What happened in the case you just cited? Explain in a concise and relevant way. For example: “In Burger, the court held that a mother who witnessed an accident on the street from the front door of her house was located near the scene of an accident.”
6. Discuss the relevant facts of your case. Point to the facts that are similar to the facts of the authority you’ve just discussed. For example, you could continue from above as follows: “Mary was standing a block from the accident, heard the crash, and saw her uncle being pulled, bleeding, from the car.”
7. Analogize/Conclude. What conclusions do you think the court will draw from the similarity between your facts and the facts of your authority? For example: “Although Mary did not see the accident, she was close enough to hear it and witness her uncle being pulled from the car. Thus, a court will likely conclude that she was located near the accident.”
Alternative Paragraph Structure
8. Discuss other relevant authority. Once you’ve opened the previous paragraph with your affirmative proposition, your subsequent paragraphs can discuss the facts of other relevant cases without repeating the proposition as your opening sentence. For example, you could begin the next paragraph: “In Cameron v. Jones, the Court of Appeals held that a mother who was twenty-five feet away from her child when she heard a metal sculpture fall on him was located near the scene of the accident.
9. Discuss contrary authority. Are there cases that go against your position (or the position the partner/judge/etc. would like you to hold)? Another subsequent paragraph could open with: “But, in Alfred v. Stern, the court held that a father did not have a valid cause of action for negligent infliction of emotional distress.” Then follow steps 5, 6, and 7, above, except this time, when concluding, tell the reader why the court won’t follow or give much weight to this contrary authority (e.g., the facts are different).
10. Move on to the next part of the test. Follow steps 3-9 above for the next section of your test.
Remember, a memorandum also includes issues presented, a brief answer (which usually follows the issues presented), and a statement of facts. These are often best written after you’ve written the body of the memorandum, since you’ll have a better idea of the issues once you’ve tackled the problem (though a tentative draft might help to get you started).
Here is a checklist for those introductory sections of an office memorandum:
Heading
1. Have you included the name of the requesting attorney (or professor), your name, the date, the client’s name, and a phrase identifying the particular legal matter or issue?
Facts
Have you included all legally significant facts?
Have you included sufficient factual context?
Have you included any major emotional facts?
Have you avoided including discussion of legal authority?
Have you avoided “arguing” the facts or drawing legal conclusions?
Have you identified the client and the client’s situation at the beginning of the Fact Statement?
Have you selected an appropriate organization (chronological, topical) for the facts?
Have you maintained neutral language and objective characterizations?
Have you included both favorable and unfavorable facts?
Question Presented
11. Have you stated the legal question and the significant facts?
Have you edited to achieve one readable sentence?
Have you maintained an objective perspective?
Brief Answer
Have you stated the answer in the first several words?
Have you included a statement of the rule?
Have you stated a summary of the reasoning leading to the answer?
Have you kept the BA to a maximum of one-third to one-half a double-spaced page?
Have you taken a position, even if you are not sure?
注释:
[1] Be sure to keep in mind that an office memo is an internal document for law firms; therefore, each particular firm is likely to have a preferred format. For example, the firm may use different words for different sections title, may order sections differently than described here, or it may include other sections not described in this manual. If your reader (whether it be your professor or your employer) has a preferred format, obviously use it. If you are not sure if your reader has a particular preference, then ask!