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Legal document readability analyzer
Paste any contract, agreement, or legal text. Get instant readability score, jargon detection, passive voice analysis, and plain English suggestions.
Readability score
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Document stats
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Words
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Avg words/sentence
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Clauses detected
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Paragraphs
Analysis breakdown
Jargon density0%
Passive voice0%
Long sentences0%
Plain language score0%
Detailed findings
Why readability matters in legal documents
Legal documents are notorious for dense, complex language that even educated readers struggle to understand. But readability is not just a nicety — in many jurisdictions it is a legal requirement. Plain language laws in the USA (Plain Writing Act 2010), UK, Australia, and EU mandate that consumer-facing legal documents be written clearly.
The Flesch-Kincaid score explained
The Flesch Reading Ease score (0–100) measures how easy text is to read based on average sentence length and average syllables per word. Scores of 60–70 represent plain English. Most legal contracts score below 30, equivalent to a post-graduate reading level. Client-facing contracts should aim for at least 40–50.
Common legal jargon and plain English alternatives
Legal jargon
Plain English
Hereinafter
From now on / referred to as
Notwithstanding
Despite / even though
Pursuant to
Under / following / as required by
In the event that
If
Prior to
Before
Subsequent to
After
Shall
Must / will
Forthwith
Immediately
Heretofore
Until now / previously
Indemnify and hold harmless
Protect from claims / compensate
Force majeure
Unforeseeable circumstances
Inter alia
Among other things
Frequently asked questions
The Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease score rates text on a scale of 0 to 100. Higher scores mean easier to read. Scores of 60–70 are plain English. Most legal documents score below 30, requiring a college education to understand. Client-facing legal materials should aim for 40–60.
Plain language laws in many jurisdictions require consumer contracts to be clearly written. Unreadable contracts can be challenged in court. Clients who understand their contracts are more likely to comply with them, reducing disputes.
Passive voice obscures who is responsible. "The payment shall be made" does not specify who pays. Legal drafting guides recommend active voice to assign responsibility clearly. Passive voice increases ambiguity and can create disputes about obligations.
Most legal contracts require a post-graduate reading level (grade 16+). Standard legal documents average 30–40 words per sentence, well above the recommended 15–20 for clear writing. The Plain Language movement advocates for grade 8 reading level for consumer documents.
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Common jargon to simplify: "hereinafter" → "from now on", "notwithstanding" → "despite", "pursuant to" → "under", "in the event that" → "if", "prior to" → "before", "subsequent to" → "after", "shall" → "must". This tool detects all of these and more.