no-antithesis

Flags rhetorical antithesis that balances one idea against another.

Why

Balanced opposition can make prose sound staged when it replaces a direct statement with a memorable contrast.

Examples

Rubric

This rule is evaluated by the optional AI judge against the criteria below.

Flag a sentence when it uses balanced opposition as a rhetorical move: “it is X, not Y”, “less A, more B”, “not X but Y”, or a similar parallel contrast whose main purpose is emphasis rather than precision. Do not flag a contrast that carries substantive information, such as distinguishing two legal standards, elements, causes, or remedies. Do not flag an ordinary “but” clause that simply qualifies or limits a claim.

Should flag

• It is not the tool, but the workflow, that determines the result.
• The issue is less about the text and more about the remedy.
• Not the deadline but the notice controls the analysis.
• This is not a question of power; it is a question of judgment.

Should pass

• The statute applies to employees but not to independent contractors.
• The defendant challenges causation, but the record also raises a notice issue.
• The rule distinguishes direct damages from consequential damages.
• The motion is timely under Rule 12, but the court lacks personal jurisdiction.

Turning it off

lawlint --disable no-antithesis draft.md

Or durably, in .lawlint/config.json — see Configuration.