Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Term: PROLIXITY
Definition: Prolixity means using too many words to say something. It happens when someone talks or writes too much, making their point hard to understand. This can happen in a court case when someone uses too many facts and arguments that are not needed.
Definition: Prolixity (proh-lik-sə-tee) is the act of using too many words to state a fact or argument in a pleading or evidence. It is unnecessary and superfluous.
Example 1: "The defendant, who is a resident of the state of California, and who was born on the 15th of June, 1985, and who has a degree in computer science from the University of California, Los Angeles, and who has been employed by Google Inc. for the past five years, did, on the 1st of January, 2021, at approximately 10:00 pm, in the city of San Francisco, California, commit the crime of theft."
Example 2: "I am writing to inform you that I have received your letter, which was dated the 1st of January, 2021, and which was postmarked from the city of New York, New York, and which was addressed to me at my home address, which is located at 123 Main Street, Anytown, USA."
Both examples illustrate prolixity because they use too many words to state a fact or argument. In example 1, the defendant's personal information is irrelevant to the crime committed. In example 2, the writer's address and the details of the letter are unnecessary for the purpose of the message.