![]() ![]() Oxford Comma rules state that there should have been a comma between “shipment” and “or”. The canning, processing, preserving, freezing, drying, marketing, storing, packing for shipment or distribution of: How does it come into play with Oakhurst Dairy?Īccording to state law, the following activities do not qualify for overtime pay in Maine: This type of comma is used before the coordinating conjunction when three or more items are listed in order to clarify the meaning of a sentence. Due to that ambiguity, the drivers from Oakhurst Dairy won the appeal.Īll the fuss over this case originated on the use of what is known as the “serial comma” or the “Oxford comma”. court of appeals determined on March 13 th that Maine’s overtime law was grammatically ambiguous in some of its clauses. Delivery drivers from Oakhurst Dairy, a local milk and cream company, were engaged in litigation with their employers for some time over whether they were entitled to overtime pay. One of the latest examples of the tricky use of commas in legal cases is regarding a recent lawsuit in Maine. Bearing in mind that the proper use of commas is paramount in any type of writing, there are in fact some cases in which this small punctuation sign can result in a totally different outcome in the courtroom. There are many resources on best practices for legal grammar rules, due to the ambiguity improper grammar can bring to a legal proceeding. Legal Grammar Rules and The Use of Commas in Legal Cases While the above statements might only confuse someone reading about the outcome of a case, best practices for legal grammar rules exist to help prevent uncertainty during a case that could result from improper punctuation and sentence structure. Now it seems like there were two defendants, and it was the one who looked apologetic who was found guilty while the other walked away free. However, in the second example the same clause appears without commas, thus making the information “who looked apologetic” essential to the meaning of the sentence. This indicates that the fact he looked apologetic did not change the sentence, it was just a piece if information. In this case we see the non-restrictive relative clause “who looked apologetic” between commas. If we look at the first sentence the main message we take away is that the defendant was found guilty. The defendant who looked apologetic was found guilty. ![]() The defendant, who looked apologetic, was found guilty. The placement of a comma in a sentence can in fact change its whole meaning. ![]() As they often say, commas have the power of saving lives. Many people do not know how to use them properly, and often just place them around without paying attention to grammar rules. Used properly, commas make the meaning of sentences clear by grouping and separating words, phrases, and clauses.” However, commas are often a misunderstood grammatical element. Legal Grammar Rules | Commas, the Eternally Misunderstood Punctuation MarksĪs defined by the Oxford Dictionary (2017), a comma “marks a slight break between different parts of a sentence. Recently a company in Maine learned how a forgotten comma could result in an undesired outcome for a lawsuit, and cost a fair amount of money. ![]() Language is powerful, but only if it is used correctly. In the legal world, grammar can cost a case and money – hence the importance of legal grammar rules. When it comes to grammar and legal translation, the risks can be even higher. Grammar can have a great impact on how something is understood, or misunderstood. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |