Legal Writing and Drafting
Core concepts
Legal writing in Angola requires clarity, precision, and formal structure. Candidates must know how to draft a petição inicial, a contract, a legal opinion, and an appeal. A well-drafted document identifies the parties, states the facts, sets out the legal grounds, formulates the request (pedido), and indicates the evidence. Citations must be accurate, and the language must be formal and unambiguous. The structure typically follows: identification, facts, law, request, and evidence.
Traps
A frequent trap is a pedido that is vague or exceeds what the facts support; the court cannot grant more than requested. Questions also test the difference between facts and legal conclusions: the petition must state facts and then apply the law. Watch for the requirement of a clear causa de pedir and the need to attach documents.
Rule of thumb
Draft with the IRAC pattern: Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion. Every paragraph should serve the request.
Worked example
A petition asks for "justice" without specifying the amount or the remedy. The court cannot decide an indeterminate request; the petition must state a precise pedido (e.g., payment of a specific sum plus interest) to be admissible.