leggiERmente
leggiERmente is a concept and software framework designed to make legal texts more accessible while preserving their formal meaning. The name combines the Italian words for “laws” or “readings” and a suffix that signals an adverbial or methodological approach, signaling a focus on legibility and systematic processing of legal language.
leggiERmente emerged from a collaborative project among legal scholars, linguists, and software developers in the early
- Plain-language renditions: generates simplified summaries and alternative phrasings that retain legal intent.
- Annotations and glossary: provides inline explanations of key terms and concepts.
- Textual mapping: links plain-language passages to corresponding sections in the original text.
- Multilingual support: focused on Italian law with modules for EU law and other jurisdictions in development.
- Accessibility: includes features for screen readers, adjustable contrast, and customizable reading levels.
- Versioning and provenance: tracks changes to both the plain-language and official texts for auditability.
LeggiERmente is intended for use by public administrations to improve citizen understanding of legislation, by parliaments
The project commonly adopts open standards for legal metadata and favors an open-source core, with governance
Critics note the risk of oversimplification and urge clear disclosures about the boundaries between plain-language versions