Question

is this sentence correct:
While our Supreme Court docket will remain a priority over the year ahead, in the face of the Governor’s Prison Inmate Realignment plan, our Foundation has increased its public policy work.

Answer 1

Don't say 'docket'- it's just another word for Court... and say 'in the year ahead' not 'over'. And the rest is fine! :-)

Answer 2

Thank you Slaughter!! I was concerned it was a double prep. phrase and was going to rewrite as: Our Supreme Court docket...and in the face of...our Foundation has increased it's public policy work. Better??

Answer 3

While docket is also another word for court it also means the caseload, what cases are going to be tried. The word needs to stay. Otherwise you're saying not saying what will remain a priority. Docket (caseload) is what is remaining a priority, without that word you're saying the court itself is a priority, but that makes no sense.

Answer 4

Yes, Psycho is correct on "docket." It stays. Thx!!

Answer 5

I think your qualms are telling you that you are trying to fold too many ideas into one sentence. Try writing two sentences instead. "Cases coming before the Supreme Court this year will remain a priority over the year ahead. However, given the Governer's Prison Inmate Realignment Plan, the Foundation will be increasing its public policy work."

You also have some problems here with tense. You say the SC docket will remain a priority, which is future tense, but then you say because of the realignment plan, your work has increased -- which is past tense. Putting both a future and past tense statement into the same sentence makes the awkwardness greater, because the reader isn't really clear if he's imagining what you have done, are doing, or will do. Writing two (or more) sentences allows you to put clearer divisions between those things.

Note that I actually changed the tense to the future in my suggestion for your second tense, because my sense is that is what you actually mean. If you actually really do mean to describe something in the past -- you have increased your public policy work, but won't be increasing it any more -- then you'll need to redo the sentence. But if I made that mistake, about what you meant, I bet your readers will, too.

Keep in mind the purpose of writing is clarity -- getting your ideas as precisely as possible into the reader's head. It's better to be no more sophisticated and clever in your writing than you must be. Simplicity is best. Never be afraid to write two sentences when you have two ideas to communicate.

Answer 6

Yes, yes, yes!! Thank you Carl...this is exactly what I mean to get across!! Two sentences would be best!!