Conventional Logic: Using the Logical Fallacy of Denying the Antecedent as a Litigation Tool 79 Mississippi Law Journal 2009-2010

79 Miss. L.J. 669 (2009-2010)
Conventional Logic: Using the Logical Fallacy of Denying the Antecedent as a Litigation Tool

handle is hein.journals/mislj79 and id is 677 raw text is: CONVENTIONAL LOGIC: USING THE
LOGICAL FALLACY OF DENYING THE
ANTECEDENT AS A LITIGATION TOOL
Stephen M. Rice*
INTRODUCTION
Lawyers are governed by rules. Rules control us. Rules af-
fect virtually every aspect of our profession. Rules govern our
admittance to law school. Rules dictate the attendance policy of
our first law school class and how we take our final set of law
school examinations. American Bar Association rules and stan-
dards direct the operation of our law schools. A rule requires
lawyers mark their answers to the multistate bar examination
with number 2 black lead pencils.' There are rules we follow to
apply for and to be admitted to the bar. Once admitted, rules of
professional conduct codify our ethical and professional respon-
sibilities.
Rules of court, local, state, and federal, dictate everything
from the number of pages in the complaint we file, to the
amount of time for appealing a judgment. Rules of law, common
and statutory, make up the substance of our expertise. Rules of
evidence dictate the questions we can ask in the courtroom and
the answers each juror is allowed to hear. These jurors hear our
cases and are instructed on the rules of law. Rules govern the
details of their decision-making process, beginning with the
number of them in the jury panel to the timing of when their
verdict is embodied in the form of a judgment. Even the bounty
of our harvest is influenced by rules, as the fees attorneys are
. Stephen M. Rice is an Assistant Professor of Law, Liberty University School of
Law.
1 The National Conference of Bar Examiners indicates that those taking the Multi-
state Bar Examination bring several No. 2 black lead pencils or mechanical pencils
with HB lead. THE MULTISTATE BAR EXAMINATION 2010 INFORMATION BOOKLET 6
(2010), available at http://www.ncbex.org/uploads/user-docrepos/MBE_2010.pdf (last
visited Feb. 24, 2010).

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