Final answer:
Contracts should be in plain English to be easily understood by all parties involved, unless specific legal requirements necessitate otherwise. The Plain Writing Act of 2010 encourages clarity in legal documents to make them more accessible and to reduce the dependency on legal assistance for understanding.
Step-by-step explanation:
Contracts must be written in plain English so they can be easily understood by everyone involved, unless certain legal requirements dictate otherwise. This necessity comes from the intent behind legislation like the Plain Writing Act of 2010, which sought to make legal documents more accessible to the general public. In situations where contracts contain complex legal terms or are densely written, it can be challenging for individuals without legal expertise to comprehend the contents. This complexity may necessitate the assistance of a lawyer to navigate and understand the contract, which could add stress and financial burden.
The historical use of legal jargon and terminology often makes transaction documents unclear and intimidating, which is why the push towards using plain English in legal writing is significant. The old language, with its roots in historic Roman and French influences and overuse of Latin and antiquated expressions, is being reformed to make legal texts more approachable. Unless there is a specific legal reason, modern contracts should avoid such convolutions to be clear and accessible to all parties involved.