Question 1

Which of the following might be included in an informative letter?

Accepted Answer

An informative letter can include a variety of information relevant to the recipient's interests or needs, such as general background on a legal issue and recent developments in a case, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the situation.

Question 2

Why is having an accurate date on legal correspondence important when filing documents?

Accepted Answer

Legal correspondence and documents are typically organized and filed based on the date they were created or received, making it crucial to have an accurate date for chronological filing and retrieval. Choices B and C are not universally true or applicable to all legal systems and practices.

Question 3

In legal correspondence, you should generally call the addressee by "Mr." or "Ms." because

Accepted Answer

Legal correspondence is considered a professional form of communication, and using titles like "Mr." or "Ms." is a way to maintain a formal and respectful tone.

Question 4

A letter that conveys information to a client, witness, or other person regarding a legal matter is called a(n)__________ letter.

Accepted Answer

An informative letter is used to convey information regarding a legal matter to a client, witness, or other person.

Question 5

When a letter is to be signed by an attorney, you should include which of the following lines?

Accepted Answer

"Attorney at Law" is the correct designation to use when a letter is to be signed by an attorney, as it formally indicates the individual's professional status and legal authority to practice law.

Question 6

Which of the following should be included in the address block?

Accepted Answer

All of these choices are correct because the address block should include the addressee's name, title, and the name of their business to ensure the correspondence is properly directed and received.

Question 7

The part of the letter that is placed in the upper left-hand corner of the letter above the salutation or reference line and indicates to whom the letter is addressed is called which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The part of the letter placed in the upper left-hand corner above the salutation or reference line, indicating to whom the letter is addressed, is known as the address block. This includes the recipient's name, address, and sometimes their title, ensuring the letter reaches the intended recipient.

Question 8

Paralegals often draft letters to which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Paralegals may draft letters to clients, witnesses, and opposing counsel as part of their duties to support lawyers and the legal process.

Question 9

When a paralegal sends out correspondence written by the paralegal on behalf of the firm, the paralegal should always include

Accepted Answer

Including the paralegal's title in correspondence is important to clarify the role of the sender and to ensure that the recipient understands that the communication is not coming from an attorney. This helps maintain clarity regarding the professional capacity in which the information is being provided.

Question 10

Which of the following might be done through e-mail correspondence?

Accepted Answer

E-mail correspondence can be used for all the listed activities: informing clients about case developments, sending documents, and confirming conversation details.

Question 11

In writing a legal document, focusing on the facts or presenting a balanced discussion of both sides of an issue is called the_______ approach.

Accepted Answer

The objective approach in writing a legal document involves focusing on the facts and presenting a balanced discussion of both sides of an issue, without showing bias towards one side.

Question 12

Which of the following is the general format for legal correspondence?

Accepted Answer

The general format for legal correspondence includes the date, address block and method of delivery, reference line, salutation, body, and closing. This structure ensures clarity and professionalism in legal communications.

Question 13

Paralegals do not draft letters to which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Paralegals can draft letters to clients, witnesses, and opposing counsel under the supervision of an attorney, so none of the choices is correct.

Question 14

Paralegal Rob prepares a letter to a witness indicating the date, time, and location of the court in which the witness is required to appear to testify and encloses a subpoena. Paralegal Rob has prepared which of the following types of legal letters?

Accepted Answer

The letter prepared by Paralegal Rob is an informative letter because it provides specific information about the date, time, and location of the court appearance, along with enclosing a subpoena for the witness. This type of letter is designed to inform the recipient about certain details or actions, rather than demanding action, offering legal opinions, or confirming an agreement or understanding.

Question 15

The main part of the letter is called the_________ of the letter.

Accepted Answer

The body of the letter is the main part where the message or content is written.

Question 16

Which of the following would be likely to be on a firm's letterhead?

Accepted Answer

A firm's letterhead typically includes the firm name, address, and phone number to provide essential contact information.

Question 17

A law firm's s name, address, phone and fax numbers, and e-mail address, and sometimes the names of partners or the various geographic locations in which the firm has offices, are included in which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Letterhead typically includes the law firm's name, address, phone and fax numbers, e-mail address, and sometimes additional information like partner names or office locations.

Question 18

Why is it important to include the date on legal correspondence?

Accepted Answer

The date on legal correspondence is crucial because it can be important in matters involving legal notice of a particular event, ensuring that all parties are aware of the timing related to legal obligations, rights, or deadlines.

Question 19

The formal greeting to the addressee of the letter is called the

Accepted Answer

The formal greeting to the addressee of a letter is known as the salutation. This typically includes phrases like "Dear [Name]," at the beginning of the letter.

Question 20

The portion of the letter that is placed just below the address block and above the salutation and indicates the matter to be discussed in the letter is called the

Accepted Answer

The reference line in a letter is used to indicate the subject or the matter to be discussed, which is positioned just below the address block and above the salutation.

Quiz 9: Legal Writing: Form and Substance