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Check legal spelling and Latin terms
Paste your legal writing and get spelling, Latin phrases and commonly confused legal words checked, with plain English alternatives where they read better.
River checks legal writing for the errors ordinary spellcheckers miss: legal terms of art, Latin phrases, and pairs of words lawyers commonly confuse, such as principal and principle, or affect and effect. Paste a brief, contract, letter or memo and River returns each correction with a short reason, then the corrected text.
Latin gets particular attention. River checks that each phrase is spelled and used correctly, suggests a plain English alternative where it would read better for your audience, and applies the italics convention you choose.
Where legal spelling goes wrong
The most common errors are real words used wrongly, which spellcheckers cannot catch: principle for principal, statute for statue, counsel for council, judgement in place of judgment, which is the usual spelling in American legal writing, and affect for effect. A careful read for these is more useful than any red underline.
Latin phrases fail in predictable ways: sua sponte, inter alia, res judicata and per curiam misspelled, or used with the wrong meaning, such as i.e. where e.g. was meant. Many readers, especially clients, understand plain English better, so on its own initiative may serve better than sua sponte in a client letter.
Italics are a matter of style. Under Bluebook conventions, Latin words and phrases commonly used in legal writing generally are not italicized, while less familiar foreign phrases are. Follow your court's or firm's style guide if it differs.
How it works
Paste your text
A brief, contract, letter or memo, or attach the file.
River checks it
Spelling, Latin phrases and commonly confused legal words.
Get the corrections
Each change with a short reason, then the corrected text.
Keep editing
Ask for a passive voice check, plain English, or a citation format pass.
What you get
- Commonly confused legal words caught, which ordinary spellcheckers miss
- Latin phrases checked for spelling, meaning and correct use
- Plain English alternatives suggested where they read better for your reader
- Italics applied to the convention you choose
- Each correction explained in a line, then the corrected text in full
Common questions
Why not just use my word processor's spellchecker?
It catches misspelled words, not real words used wrongly. Principle for principal, statute for statue and affect for effect all pass a spellchecker. Legal terms of art and Latin phrases are also often flagged wrongly or not at all. River reads for meaning, which is where legal writing errors hide.
Should I avoid Latin in legal writing?
Not entirely. Some Latin terms, such as res judicata or habeas corpus, are terms of art with no exact English equivalent. Others, like inter alia or sua sponte, have plain English alternatives that many readers find clearer. River suggests alternatives only where you ask for them.
Should Latin phrases be italicized?
It depends on your style guide. Bluebook conventions generally do not italicize Latin words and phrases that are common in legal writing, while less familiar foreign phrases are italicized. Courts and firms sometimes have their own rules. Choose the convention you need and River applies it.
Is it judgment or judgement?
In American legal writing, judgment is the standard spelling for a court's decision. Judgement appears in British English, and some writers use it for the general sense of good judgment, but in United States legal documents judgment is the safe choice.
Does it check citations?
No. It checks spelling, Latin and word choice. Citation format and whether a case is still good law need separate checks; use a citator for the second.
Check legal spelling and Latin terms
Describe what you need, add any files you have, and your workspace opens with the work already underway.