Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A demonstrative adjective that legal drafters should avoid before singular nouns. Writers replace it with the, that, or this to eliminate legalese and improve clarity.
Select any source to read its text and confirm it supports the definition.
Simone Sanders prepared a burglary indictment describing the target building. She initially wrote that the defendant entered such structure at night. After review she changed the phrase to the structure, removing the adjective while preserving the facts about regular sleeping use.
Samuel Soto drafted a brief arguing congressional power. He first referred to such persons in the naturalization clause. He revised the sentence to those persons, keeping the discussion of uniform rules intact.
Simon Stern sent a notice asking a corporation to waive service. The draft used such defendant in the request paragraph. He substituted the defendant before mailing, satisfying the written notice requirement.
Sylvia Santos moved to admit prior acts. Her first version cited such evidence for intent. She replaced the phrase with that evidence to comply with the non-character purpose rule.
Santiago Sanchez prepared a recusal memorandum. He wrote that the judge served as lawyer in such association. He changed the wording to that association to describe the prior firm connection.
Sydney Santos outlined settlement authority in a client letter. The draft stated the lawyer shall abide by such decision. She revised it to the client's decision before sending the document.
The word such functions as unnecessary legalese when used before a singular noun. Guides recommend replacing it with the, that, or this to produce clearer, more direct prose.
Supporting sources
Substitute the, that, or this for such. The change removes the adjective without altering meaning and eliminates a common marker of stilted legal style.
Supporting sources
The guidance focuses on singular nouns because such before a singular noun most often signals avoidable legalese. The same substitution principle improves readability in other contexts as well.
Supporting sources
…take from his custody the seal of the United States nor prevent him from recording and affixing the seal to civil commissions of such officers as do not hold their offices at the will of the President after the President has signed them and delivered them to the Secretary for that purpose. In the performance of these…