Representing effective communication and plain language in legal contexts: A critical discourse study

This thesis explores problems with legal communication as a social problem in which discourse and the shared beliefs of groups play a crucial role. It concludes that plain language is a problematic construct in the law because there are costs of systematically misrepresenting an intention to communicate effectively as the solution to a complex set of social and legal issues. The study generates new practical theory that has potential to transform practice by raising awareness of the extent to which shared beliefs about legal language, plain language and effective legal communication are reconstructed in everyday discourse