David Ziff
@djsziff.bsky.social
Teaching Professor, University of Washington School of Law #LegalWriting
My stuff: https://linktr.ee/djsziff
My stuff: https://linktr.ee/djsziff
Pinned
David Ziff
@djsziff.bsky.social
· Nov 11
Um. Hello new followers. I apologize in advance for my posts. I write about legal citation and #LegalWriting generally. E.g.,
A 27-page review of The Bluebook: digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/faculty-arti...
An essay on the citation of so-called "slave cases": digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/faculty-arti...
1/
A 27-page review of The Bluebook: digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/faculty-arti...
An essay on the citation of so-called "slave cases": digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/faculty-arti...
1/
Reposted by David Ziff
Excellent thread on the distinction between law school memo writing and law school exam writing.
This is good 1L exam advice from Prof. Kerr. But I feel the need to provide an addendum: While this A+ answer is undoubtedly an A+ answer for a timed in-class exam in a doctrinal class, it would *not* receive a high grade in my legal writing class. Timed in-class exam answers are their own thing! 1/
Especially for the 1Ls out there, preparing for their 1st set of law school exams, I wrote this post back in 2007 about how to get a good grade on a law school issue spotter. The post, "Bad Answers, Good Answers, and Terrific Answers," is available here:
volokh.com/posts/116838...
volokh.com/posts/116838...
November 24, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Excellent thread on the distinction between law school memo writing and law school exam writing.
Reposted by David Ziff
This is good 1L exam advice from Prof. Kerr. But I feel the need to provide an addendum: While this A+ answer is undoubtedly an A+ answer for a timed in-class exam in a doctrinal class, it would *not* receive a high grade in my legal writing class. Timed in-class exam answers are their own thing! 1/
Especially for the 1Ls out there, preparing for their 1st set of law school exams, I wrote this post back in 2007 about how to get a good grade on a law school issue spotter. The post, "Bad Answers, Good Answers, and Terrific Answers," is available here:
volokh.com/posts/116838...
volokh.com/posts/116838...
November 22, 2025 at 6:36 PM
This is good 1L exam advice from Prof. Kerr. But I feel the need to provide an addendum: While this A+ answer is undoubtedly an A+ answer for a timed in-class exam in a doctrinal class, it would *not* receive a high grade in my legal writing class. Timed in-class exam answers are their own thing! 1/
Now you might think the "Downtown" on this sign was for Downtown. But no! It's for the "downtown" of a city called Federal Way, which is the opposite direction of downtown Seattle.
I do think something on this sign should tell you which direction to stand on to catch a train to downtown Seattle.
November 22, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Now you might think the "Downtown" on this sign was for Downtown. But no! It's for the "downtown" of a city called Federal Way, which is the opposite direction of downtown Seattle.
So, that said, let's look at the A+ answer, not as a professor grading an in-class timed exam, but as a legal writing assignment.
1. Ugh, that first sentence. The liability "hinges" on something? Don't tell me what liability hinges on. Just give me the answer! This isn't a mystery novel!
6/
1. Ugh, that first sentence. The liability "hinges" on something? Don't tell me what liability hinges on. Just give me the answer! This isn't a mystery novel!
6/
November 22, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Reposted by David Ziff
4) back to the mystical ceremony point, an experienced oral advocate with, say, 10 total arguments, can easily do a SCOTUS argument of any kind totally competently. They’re just judges.
November 22, 2025 at 7:19 PM
4) back to the mystical ceremony point, an experienced oral advocate with, say, 10 total arguments, can easily do a SCOTUS argument of any kind totally competently. They’re just judges.
This is good 1L exam advice from Prof. Kerr. But I feel the need to provide an addendum: While this A+ answer is undoubtedly an A+ answer for a timed in-class exam in a doctrinal class, it would *not* receive a high grade in my legal writing class. Timed in-class exam answers are their own thing! 1/
Especially for the 1Ls out there, preparing for their 1st set of law school exams, I wrote this post back in 2007 about how to get a good grade on a law school issue spotter. The post, "Bad Answers, Good Answers, and Terrific Answers," is available here:
volokh.com/posts/116838...
volokh.com/posts/116838...
November 22, 2025 at 6:36 PM
This is good 1L exam advice from Prof. Kerr. But I feel the need to provide an addendum: While this A+ answer is undoubtedly an A+ answer for a timed in-class exam in a doctrinal class, it would *not* receive a high grade in my legal writing class. Timed in-class exam answers are their own thing! 1/
But see Tori Amos, Pretty Good Year (1994) ("Greg he writes letters and burns his CDs.")
November 21, 2025 at 9:38 PM
But see Tori Amos, Pretty Good Year (1994) ("Greg he writes letters and burns his CDs.")
Hate speech is not free speech.
The radio said "this Radiohead song, from the Album The Bends, released 30 years ago" and I almost crashed the car.
November 21, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Hate speech is not free speech.
He writes "I dissent" sixteen times.
I have never seen an opinion like Judge Smith’s dissent in the Texas redistricting case in public before. H/t to the election law blog
electionlawblog.org/wp-content/u...
electionlawblog.org/wp-content/u...
electionlawblog.org
November 19, 2025 at 9:43 PM
He writes "I dissent" sixteen times.
Reposted by David Ziff
(indictment modified)
November 19, 2025 at 6:01 PM
(indictment modified)
Reposted by David Ziff
Indictment (cleaned up)
November 19, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Indictment (cleaned up)
Reposted by David Ziff
Just sat outside in the sunshine like a lizard under a heat lamp. Get outside if you're in Seattle!
November 19, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Just sat outside in the sunshine like a lizard under a heat lamp. Get outside if you're in Seattle!
Reposted by David Ziff
me showing my wife the skeet I made today that people liked
October 24, 2025 at 2:21 AM
me showing my wife the skeet I made today that people liked
Helpful that the signs on the train make clear that assault is "punishable by law," as opposed to some sort of extrajudicial transit vigilantism.
November 19, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Helpful that the signs on the train make clear that assault is "punishable by law," as opposed to some sort of extrajudicial transit vigilantism.
Reposted by David Ziff
My "I'm not allowed to say what the career staff recommended" t-shirt is raising a lot of questions answered by my "I'm not allowed to say what the career staff recommended" t-shirt
BREAKING: Prosecutors in the Comey case just told the judge that they’re under orders from the Deputy Attorney Generals’s office not to disclose whether career prosecutors wrote a memo recommending *against* indicting Comey prior to Halligan going to the grand jury.
November 19, 2025 at 4:24 PM
My "I'm not allowed to say what the career staff recommended" t-shirt is raising a lot of questions answered by my "I'm not allowed to say what the career staff recommended" t-shirt
Hello from Washington State.
State supreme courts are still overwhelmingly white & male
⚖️ 18 states: 0 justices of color
⚖️ 47 states + DC: 0 Native American justices
⚖️ 42 states: 0 Asian American justices
⚖️ 39 + DC: 0 Latino justices
⚖️ 24 states: 0 Black justices
New @brennancenter.org analysis below👇👇
⚖️ 18 states: 0 justices of color
⚖️ 47 states + DC: 0 Native American justices
⚖️ 42 states: 0 Asian American justices
⚖️ 39 + DC: 0 Latino justices
⚖️ 24 states: 0 Black justices
New @brennancenter.org analysis below👇👇
State Supreme Court Diversity - November 2025 Update
Many state supreme courts lack diversity in terms of their justices’ race, ethnicity, gender, and professional background.
www.brennancenter.org
November 18, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Hello from Washington State.
Reposted by David Ziff
November 18, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Reposted by David Ziff
Happy 40th birthday to Bill Waterson’s ‘Calvin and Hobbes’. A work of consummate, stubborn, human, and more-than-human art.
November 18, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Happy 40th birthday to Bill Waterson’s ‘Calvin and Hobbes’. A work of consummate, stubborn, human, and more-than-human art.
Reposted by David Ziff
"here's why" is also unnecessary
November 18, 2025 at 8:06 PM
"here's why" is also unnecessary
Reposted by David Ziff
it's pretending to be concise and digestible but it isn't at all. 2/3 of the first 3 sentences are unnecessary. "though the state of texas presents this dispute as an argument over politics alone, substantial evidence shows that texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 map." there I fixed it.
not the point but I absolutely cannot stand it when judges adopt this writing style
November 18, 2025 at 8:05 PM
it's pretending to be concise and digestible but it isn't at all. 2/3 of the first 3 sentences are unnecessary. "though the state of texas presents this dispute as an argument over politics alone, substantial evidence shows that texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 map." there I fixed it.
Reposted by David Ziff
There are some cases of such import that judges know they will be read by the lay person. On those occasions, which this surely is, I think it appropriate for a judge to speak to the people.
November 18, 2025 at 6:54 PM
There are some cases of such import that judges know they will be read by the lay person. On those occasions, which this surely is, I think it appropriate for a judge to speak to the people.
Reposted by David Ziff
I like it, especially for a case like this that will get a lot of public notice. The "here's why" is a little journalistic, but I think that works in this context.
November 18, 2025 at 7:24 PM
I like it, especially for a case like this that will get a lot of public notice. The "here's why" is a little journalistic, but I think that works in this context.
This is my view. I think it's good. But the "Here's why" at the end grates a bit. Maybe that colors the whole thing? For me, there's a line between simple short sentences (good) and performative folksiness (bad). I think this stays on the good side.
I like it, especially for a case like this that will get a lot of public notice. The "here's why" is a little journalistic, but I think that works in this context.
November 18, 2025 at 7:28 PM
This is my view. I think it's good. But the "Here's why" at the end grates a bit. Maybe that colors the whole thing? For me, there's a line between simple short sentences (good) and performative folksiness (bad). I think this stays on the good side.
Reposted by David Ziff
I don’t really get the critique. Short, clear sentences that concisely summarize the key point. What’s the harm?
Maybe it’s the “Here’s why”? It not really necessary. I’d probably cut it and go right to the remedy: “As a result, we X the map and order Texas to Y.”
But it’s…not the worst opening?
Maybe it’s the “Here’s why”? It not really necessary. I’d probably cut it and go right to the remedy: “As a result, we X the map and order Texas to Y.”
But it’s…not the worst opening?
November 18, 2025 at 7:22 PM
I don’t really get the critique. Short, clear sentences that concisely summarize the key point. What’s the harm?
Maybe it’s the “Here’s why”? It not really necessary. I’d probably cut it and go right to the remedy: “As a result, we X the map and order Texas to Y.”
But it’s…not the worst opening?
Maybe it’s the “Here’s why”? It not really necessary. I’d probably cut it and go right to the remedy: “As a result, we X the map and order Texas to Y.”
But it’s…not the worst opening?
A #LegalWriting take! Obviously, the style is better than some alternatives. But what do folks think?
not the point but I absolutely cannot stand it when judges adopt this writing style
November 18, 2025 at 6:52 PM
A #LegalWriting take! Obviously, the style is better than some alternatives. But what do folks think?