no-summary-beat

Flags closing sentences that recap a paragraph without adding information.

Why

A summary beat announces the paragraph’s point after the analysis is complete instead of carrying the analysis forward.

Examples

Rubric

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

Flag a paragraph’s closing sentence when it merely recaps the paragraph with a phrase such as “the upshot is simple”, “that is the point”, “the lesson is clear”, or “this is the tension”, without adding a fact, result, qualification, or next step. Do not flag a conclusion that adds a concrete holding, consequence, number, exception, or recommendation. Do not flag padded elaboration merely because a sentence follows another one: padded elaboration restates the previous sentence, while a summary beat recaps the paragraph as a whole.

Should flag

• The notice omitted the required date, and the agency could not verify when the appeal period began. The upshot is simple.
• The parties disputed the clause’s meaning, and the court adopted the narrower reading. That is the point.
• The record contains conflicting accounts and no neutral witness. That is the tension.
• The rule has exceptions, but none applies here. The lesson is clear.

Should pass

• The notice omitted the required date, and the agency could not verify when the appeal period began. The appeal was therefore timely.
• The parties disputed the clause’s meaning, and the court adopted the narrower reading. That reading excludes consequential damages.
• The record contains conflicting accounts and no neutral witness. The court should resolve the dispute at trial.
• The rule has exceptions, but none applies here. The motion is denied.

Turning it off

lawlint --disable no-summary-beat draft.md

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