Article: New Texas Law Requires Common Language for Legal Contracts.

Byline: Maria Halkias

May 6--No one likes to read the fine print several times and still not understand what he is about to sign.

But that's what many people end up doing: Sign on the dotted line. Get it over with. Hope you didn't get taken.

Although most transactions aren't as scary as dealing with Tony Soprano, legalese in teeny type can make even the simplest agreements fuzzy at best.

The IRS, Securities and Exchange Commission and legislators and regulators in states from Maine to Hawaii have been mandating clarity since the early 1990s, when a plain-language movement gained momentum.

Last year it was Texas' turn after ...

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