It took roughly 10 minutes for WordRake to analyze the lengthy opinion (132 pages in Word, including dissents). When it was done, it told me that it had analyzed 2,585 sentences and made 232 suggestions.

In fairness, a Supreme Court opinion may not be the best document for testing the Simplicity mode, as it has most certainly been through multiple rounds of editing and editors before it is released to the public.

On the other hand, if an editing program can find ways to clean up a document such as a Supreme Court opinion, imagine what it can do for your brief. What Simplicity mode found were a number of repetitive and relativity minor editing suggestions.

Change “nevertheless” to “still.” (Notably, when nevertheless appeared in a quoted phrase, WordRake did not suggest changing it.).

Change “demonstrates” to “shows” (or “demonstrate” to “show”).

Change “allows him to carry” to “lets him carry”.

Change “does not suffice” to “is not enough”.

Change “has not demonstrated” to “has not shown”.

Change “reiterated” to “repeated” (or “reiterate” to “repeat”).

Change “prior decision” to “past decision”.

Change “initial conclusion” to “first conclusion”Īs you can see, none of the suggestions are particularly substantive, but that may be the point, and it certainly may be due to the nature of the document I analyzed.Īs I have previously noted in writing about this and other legal editing programs, users should never blindly accept an editing program’s suggestions, as they are sometimes wrong.

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