Grammar Bootcamp: Fix the Brief

Identify and correct subject-verb agreement errors, misplaced modifiers, parallelism failures, and other grammar issues in this excerpt from a legal brief.

This excerpt from a motion brief contains multiple grammar errors that undermine its credibility. Your job is to fix them all.

What to look for:

Subject-verb agreement — Does the verb match the subject? Watch for tricky subjects like "neither...nor," compound subjects, and collective nouns.
Dangling/misplaced modifiers — Is the modifier next to what it modifies? "Running late, the brief was filed" — briefs don't run.
Parallelism — Do list items match in form? "She was smart, diligent, and worked hard" mixes adjectives with a verb phrase.
Pronoun-antecedent agreement — Does the pronoun match what it refers to? "The company changed their policy" — company is singular.
Comma splices & run-ons — Are independent clauses joined correctly?

Fix each error while preserving the meaning. The facts and legal arguments should stay the same — only the grammar should change.

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Improve clarity, conciseness, and legal precision

Your Edited Version

Neither the plaintiff nor the defendants was present at the mediation session scheduled for March 15. Having failed to appear, the court imposed sanctions on both parties. The committee have decided to review the matter, and their decision, along with the recommendations of outside counsel, are expected next week.

The evidence clearly shows that the defendant engaged in fraud, breaching their fiduciary duty, and failed to disclose material information. Each of the partners were aware of the scheme. To succeed on this claim, three elements must be proven: the defendant made a false statement, the plaintiff relied on it, and that damages resulted.

After reviewing the documents carefully, several inconsistencies was discovered by our team. The corporation, as well as its subsidiaries, are liable for these violations. Running late and without proper preparation, the motion was filed by opposing counsel. Neither accurate nor was it complete.

The jury must determine whether the defendant's actions was negligent, reckless, or if they constituted intentional misconduct. Everyone involved in the transaction have a duty to disclose. The memoranda prepared by the associates was thorough, detailed, and showed great attention to detail.

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Grammar Bootcamp: Fix the Brief

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