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>Contracts are written to minimize costs already, and that's why they're long. See OP. There seems to be this thing called "legalese" that makes contracts har
by 0xDEAFBEAD 2y ago
>Contracts are written to minimize costs already, and that's why they're long.
See OP. There seems to be this thing called "legalese" that makes contracts harder to understand than necessary.
In any case, if litigation risk is a major cost of a contract, then people drafting contracts will incorporate that factor alongside character length.
Overall, I think you may have a point. So my updated take is: Make the per-character tax low enough that it's not a factor for B2B contracts where it's standard for lawyers on both sides to review. However, make it high enough so that it's a factor in rental contracts, employment contracts, and EULAs, where at least one party typically doesn't retain a lawyer.
- whatshisface 2y agoLegalese is a cost-reduction technique founded on the principle of making your potential future case look as much like a previous case, even word for word, as possible.
- 0xDEAFBEAD 2y agoHm, interesting thesis. You should post that as a toplevel comment.
- bluGill 2y agoLegalese features complex grammar, anyone with good English skills and a lot of time could rewrite most laws so they are much easier to understand without losing all the cost reduction legalese provides.
- decatur 2y agoSurely, your claim would only apply to contracts or court decisions, but not to laws.