Ask people these 314 legal matters questions for storytelling.
I have interviewed hundreds of people about their legal matters. Based on the answers I received in those interviews, I have listed writing prompts and questions about legal matters to ask people when writing narratives. The hometown and moving series include four categories that explore youth, young adult, adult and senior adult years. Use these prompts and questions to help you
- Identify events and memories you can write about
- Organize and write your narrative and story
- Develop questions to ask other people about their life’s
- Organize, research and write stories about others
- Know what type of information to include in narratives and stories
- Identify memorabilia, artifacts, photos, documents to include in stories
- Develop ideas for journaling, story starters, poetry, memoirs, and more
Writing Prompts and Questions to Ask People
The “Legal Matters” writing prompts and questions to ask people are part of the 28 articles, 108 category series entitled “7,500-plus Questions About Life to Ask People When Writing Narratives.” The prompts and questions are provided to help you look at legal matters from as many angles as possible when writing narratives about yourself, your family, and others. The categories and types of topics covered include:
- Youth Legal Matters (Age 0-18). Find 62 questions and prompts. Use these prompts and questions to gather and organize information to help you write narratives about yourself, your family, and others. These questions cover various legal actions like divorce, being arrested, lawsuits, including your thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
- Young Adult Legal Matters (Age 18-25). Find 84 questions and prompts. Use these prompts and questions to gather and organize information to help you write narratives about yourself, your family, and others. These questions cover various legal actions like divorce, being arrested, lawsuits, including your thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
- Adult Legal Matters (Age 25-65). Find 84 questions and prompts. Use these prompts and questions to gather and organize information to help you write narratives about yourself, your family, and others. These questions cover various legal actions like divorce, being arrested, lawsuits, including your thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
- Senior Adult Legal Matters (Age 65+). Find 84 questions and prompts. Use these prompts and questions to gather and organize information to help you write narratives about yourself, your family, and others. These questions cover various legal actions like divorce, being arrested, lawsuits, including your thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
Approach each topic from the point of view of the person/lives you are writing about. You don’t have to ask every question. Review the questions and determine which ones are most appropriate to ask. I would encourage you to modify and add questions as you desire.
I have prepared a couple of other resources that will provide value in interviewing for and writing individual, personal, and family narratives: “Complete Guide for Conducting Oral History Interviews” and “Complete Guide to Writing A Personal Narrative.”
Youth Legal Matters Questions (Age 0-18)
Writing Prompts and Questions About Legal Matters
“Youth Legal Matters (Age 0-18)” is part of the series for writing prompts and questions about Legal Matters. Use these questions to ask, gather, and organize information to help you write narratives about yourself, your family, and others. If you are writing about a deceased person, think of the questions as if you were the person answering the questions.
- Were you or your family involved in legal matters during this period?
- Were there legal matters between your parents (e.g., divorce, child custody)?
• What was the legal matter?
• What do you know of the legal matter?
• Can you share what happened during and after the legal matter?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• Where did the legal matter take place, and in what year?
• How did you feel about the legal matter?
• How did you respond as a child to the legal matter?
• What did each parent share about the proceedings?
• How did the legal matter affect you, your family, and others? Explain.
• Did the legal matters have a lasting effect on you, your family and others years after? Explain. - Were you or a member of your family arrested?
• What was the background regarding the arrest?
• What do you know of the legal matter?
• Can you share what happened during and after the legal matter?
• Did the person have to go to court? If yes, what was the outcome?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• Where did the legal matter take place, and in what year?
• What happened to the person who was arrested?
• What was the outcome of the legal matter for a person, you, your family, and others? Explain.
• Did the legal matters have to last the person, you, family and others years after? Explain. - Were you or a member of your family a victim of crime?
• What was the background regarding the crime?
• Where did the crime take place, and in what year?
• What do you know of the crime?
• Who was the person who committed the crime?
• What happened to the person?
• Did the person have to go to court? If yes, what was the outcome?
• What happens to you or your family after the crime?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• What happened to the person who was arrested?
• How did the crime affect the person, you, your family, and others in the short and long term? Explain.
• What happened to the person who committed the crime? - Were you, a friend, a group you were associated with or a family member accused of a crime?
• What was the background regarding the accusation?
• Where did the crime take place, and in what year?
• What do you know of the situation?
• How did the person feel? Explain.
• Was the accusation based on fact or perception? Explain.
• What happened?
• Did the person have to go to court? If yes, what was the outcome?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• What happened to the person?
• What were the long and short-term effects of the situation? - Did a member of your family file a lawsuit against another person or business?
• What was the background regarding the lawsuit?
• What do you know of the lawsuit?
• What was the outcome of the lawsuit?
• What were the pros and cons of the lawsuit?
• What happened to the person who filed the lawsuit?
• What happened to the person or business who was the target of the lawsuit?
• What were the long and short-term effects of the lawsuit? - Did you or a family member have a business?
• Was the business ever a lawsuit filed by or against the business?
• What was the background regarding the lawsuit?
• What do you know of the lawsuit?
• What was the outcome of the lawsuit?
• What were the pros and cons of the lawsuit?
• What happened to the person, group or business who filed the lawsuit?
• What happened to the business after the lawsuit?
• What were the long and short-term effects of the lawsuit?
Click Here to return to the writing prompts and questions about legal matters.
Young Adult Legal Matters (Age 18-25)
Writing Prompts and Questions About Legal Matters
“Young Adult Legal Matters (Age 18-25)” is part of the series for writing prompts and questions about Legal Matters. Use these questions to ask, gather, and organize information to help you write narratives about yourself, your family, and others. If you are writing about a deceased person, think of the questions as if you were the person answering the questions.
- Were you or your family involved in legal matters during this period?
- Were there legal matters between your parents (e.g., divorce, child custody)?
• What was the legal matter?
• What do you know of the legal matter?
• Can you share what happened during and after the legal matter?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• Where did the legal matter take place, and in what year?
• How did you feel about the legal matter?
• How did you respond as a child to the legal matter?
• What did each parent share about the proceedings?
• How did the legal matter affect you, your family, and others? Explain.
• Did the legal matters have a lasting effect on you, your family and others years after? Explain. - Were there legal matters between you and a spouse (e.g., divorce, child custody)?
• What was the legal matter?
• What do you remember of the legal matter?
• Can you share what happened during and after the legal matter?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• Where did the legal matter take place, and in what year?
• How did you feel about the legal matter?
• How did you respond to the legal matter?
• If you had children, how did they respond to the legal matter?
• How did the legal matter affect you, your family, and others? Explain.
• Did the legal matters have a lasting effect on you, your family and others years after? Explain. - Were there legal matters between you and a member of your family?
• What was the legal matter?
• What do you remember of the legal matter?
• Can you share what happened during and after the legal matter?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• Where did the legal matter take place, and in what year?
• How did you feel about the legal matter?
• How did you respond to the legal matter?
• If you had children, how did they respond to the legal matter?
• How did the legal matter affect you, your family, and others? Explain.
• Did the legal matters have a lasting effect on you, your family and others years after? Explain. - Were you or a member of your family arrested?
• What was the background regarding the arrest?
• What do you know of the legal matter?
• Can you share what happened during and after the legal matter?
• Did the person have to go to court? If yes, what was the outcome?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• Where did the legal matter take place, and in what year?
• What happened to the person who was arrested?
• What was the outcome of the legal matter for a person, you, your family, and others? Explain.
• Did the legal matters have to last the person, you, family and others years after? Explain. - Were you or a member of your family a victim of crime?
• What was the background regarding the crime?
• Where did the crime take place, and in what year?
• What do you know of the crime?
• Who was the person who committed the crime?
• What happened to the person?
• Did the person have to go to court? If yes, what was the outcome?
• What happens to you or your family after the crime?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• What happened to the person who was arrested?
• How did the crime affect the person, you, your family, and others in the short and long term? Explain.
• What happened to the person who committed the crime? - Were you, a friend, a group you were associated with or a family member accused of a crime?
• What was the background regarding the accusation?
• Where did the crime take place, and in what year?
• What do you know of the situation?
• How did the person feel? Explain.
• Was the accusation based on fact or perception? Explain.
• What happened?
• Did the person have to go to court? If yes, what was the outcome?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• What happened to the person?
• What were the long and short-term effects of the situation?
8. Did a member of your family file a lawsuit against another person or business?
• What was the background regarding the lawsuit?
• What do you know of the lawsuit?
• What was the outcome of the lawsuit?
• What were the pros and cons of the lawsuit?
• What happened to the person who filed the lawsuit?
• What happened to the person or business who was the target of the lawsuit?
• What were the long and short-term effects of the lawsuit?
9. Did you or a family member have a business?
• Was the business ever a lawsuit filed by or against the business?
• What was the background regarding the lawsuit?
• What do you know of the lawsuit?
• What was the outcome of the lawsuit?
• What were the pros and cons of the lawsuit?
• What happened to the person, group or business who filed the lawsuit?
• What happened to the business after the lawsuit?
• What were the long and short-term effects of the lawsuit?
Click Here to return to the writing prompts and questions about legal matters.
Adult Legal Matters (Age 25-65)
Writing Prompts and Questions About Legal Matters
“Adult Legal Matters (Age 25-65)” is part of the series for writing prompts and questions about Legal Matters. Use these questions to ask, gather, and organize information to help you write narratives about yourself, your family, and others. If you are writing about a deceased person, think of the questions as if you were the person answering the questions.
- Were you or your family involved in legal matters during this period?
- Were there legal matters between your parents (e.g., divorce, child custody)?
• What was the legal matter?
• What do you know of the legal matter?
• Can you share what happened during and after the legal matter?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• Where did the legal matter take place, and in what year?
• How did you feel about the legal matter?
• How did you respond as a child to the legal matter?
• What did each parent share about the proceedings?
• How did the legal matter affect you, your family, and others? Explain.
• Did the legal matters have a lasting effect on you, your family and others years after? Explain. - Were there legal matters between you and a spouse (e.g., divorce, child custody)?
• What was the legal matter?
• What do you remember of the legal matter?
• Can you share what happened during and after the legal matter?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• Where did the legal matter take place, and in what year?
• How did you feel about the legal matter?
• How did you respond to the legal matter?
• If you had children, how did they respond to the legal matter?
• How did the legal matter affect you, your family, and others? Explain.
• Did the legal matters have a lasting effect on you, your family and others years after? Explain. - Were there legal matters between you and a member of your family?
• What was the legal matter?
• What do you remember of the legal matter?
• Can you share what happened during and after the legal matter?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• Where did the legal matter take place, and in what year?
• How did you feel about the legal matter?
• How did you respond to the legal matter?
• If you had children, how did they respond to the legal matter?
• How did the legal matter affect you, your family, and others? Explain.
• Did the legal matters have a lasting effect on you, your family and others years after? Explain. - Were you or a member of your family arrested?
• What was the background regarding the arrest?
• What do you know of the legal matter?
• Can you share what happened during and after the legal matter?
• Did the person have to go to court? If yes, what was the outcome?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• Where did the legal matter take place, and in what year?
• What happened to the person who was arrested?
• What was the outcome of the legal matter for a person, you, your family, and others? Explain.
• Did the legal matters have to last the person, you, family, and others years after? Explain. - Were you or a member of your family a victim of crime?
• What was the background regarding the crime?
• Where did the crime take place, and in what year?
• What do you know of the crime?
• Who was the person who committed the crime?
• What happened to the person?
• Did the person have to go to court? If yes, what was the outcome?
• What happens to you or your family after the crime?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• What happened to the person who was arrested?
• How did the crime affect the person, you, your family, and others in the short and long term? Explain.
• What happened to the person who committed the crime? - Were you, a friend, a group you were associated with or a family member accused of a crime?
• What was the background regarding the accusation?
• Where did the crime take place, and in what year?
• What do you know of the situation?
• How did the person feel? Explain.
• Was the accusation based on fact or perception? Explain.
• What happened?
• Did the person have to go to court? If yes, what was the outcome?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• What happened to the person?
• What were the long and short-term effects of the situation? - Did a member of your family file a lawsuit against another person or business?
• What was the background regarding the lawsuit?
• What do you know of the lawsuit?
• What was the outcome of the lawsuit?
• What were the pros and cons of the lawsuit?
• What happened to the person who filed the lawsuit?
• What happened to the person or business who was the target of the lawsuit?
• What were the long and short-term effects of the lawsuit? - Did you or a family member have a business?
• Was the business ever a lawsuit filed by or against the business?
• What was the background regarding the lawsuit?
• What do you know of the lawsuit?
• What was the outcome of the lawsuit?
• What were the pros and cons of the lawsuit?
• What happened to the person, group or business who filed the lawsuit?
• What happened to the business after the lawsuit?
• What were the long and short-term effects of the lawsuit?
Click Here to return to the writing prompts and questions about legal matters.
Senior Adult Legal Matters (Age 65+)
Writing Prompts and Questions
“Senior Adult Legal Matters (Age 65+)” is part of the series for writing prompts and questions about Legal Matters. Use these questions to ask, gather, and organize information to help you write narratives about yourself, your family, and others. If you are writing about a deceased person, think of the questions as if you were the person answering the questions.
- Were you or your family involved in legal matters during this period?
- Were there legal matters between your parents (e.g., divorce, child custody)?
• What was the legal matter?
• What do you know of the legal matter?
• Can you share what happened during and after the legal matter?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• Where did the legal matter take place, and in what year?
• How did you feel about the legal matter?
• How did you respond as a child to the legal matter?
• What did each parent share about the proceedings?
• How did the legal matter affect you, your family, and others? Explain.
• Did the legal matters have a lasting effect on you, your family and others years after? Explain. - Were there legal matters between you and a spouse (e.g., divorce, child custody)?
• What was the legal matter?
• What do you remember of the legal matter?
• Can you share what happened during and after the legal matter?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• Where did the legal matter take place, and in what year?
• How did you feel about the legal matter?
• How did you respond to the legal matter?
• If you had children, how did they respond to the legal matter?
• How did the legal matter affect you, your family, and others? Explain.
• Did the legal matters have a lasting effect on you, your family and others years after? Explain. - Were there legal matters between you and a member of your family?
• What was the legal matter?
• What do you remember of the legal matter?
• Can you share what happened during and after the legal matter?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• Where did the legal matter take place, and in what year?
• How did you feel about the legal matter?
• How did you respond to the legal matter?
• If you had children, how did they respond to the legal matter?
• How did the legal matter affect you, your family, and others? Explain.
• Did the legal matters have a lasting effect on you, your family and others years after? Explain. - Were you or a member of your family arrested?
• What was the background regarding the arrest?
• What do you know of the legal matter?
• Can you share what happened during and after the legal matter?
• Did the person have to go to court? If yes, what was the outcome?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• Where did the legal matter take place, and in what year?
• What happened to the person who was arrested?
• What was the outcome of the legal matter for a person, you, your family, and others? Explain.
• Did the legal matters have to last the person, you, family and others years after? Explain. - Were you or a member of your family a victim of crime?
• What was the background regarding the crime?
• Where did the crime take place, and in what year?
• What do you know of the crime?
• Who was the person who committed the crime?
• What happened to the person?
• Did the person have to go to court? If yes, what was the outcome?
• What happens to you or your family after the crime?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• What happened to the person who was arrested?
• How did the crime affect the person, you, your family, and others in the short and long term? Explain.
• What happened to the person who committed the crime? - Were you, a friend, a group you were associated with or a family member accused of a crime?
• What was the background regarding the accusation?
• Where did the crime take place, and in what year?
• What do you know of the situation?
• How did the person feel? Explain.
• Was the accusation based on fact or perception? Explain.
• What happened?
• Did the person have to go to court? If yes, what was the outcome?
• What were the pros and cons of the legal matter?
• What happened to the person?
• What were the long and short-term effects of the situation? - Did a member of your family file a lawsuit against another person or business?
• What was the background regarding the lawsuit?
• What do you know of the lawsuit?
• What was the outcome of the lawsuit?
• What were the pros and cons of the lawsuit?
• What happened to the person who filed the lawsuit?
• What happened to the person or business who was the target of the lawsuit?
• What were the long and short-term effects of the lawsuit? - Did you or a family member have a business?
• Was the business ever a lawsuit filed by or against the business?
• What was the background regarding the lawsuit?
• What do you know of the lawsuit?
• What was the outcome of the lawsuit?
• What were the pros and cons of the lawsuit?
• What happened to the person, group or business who filed the lawsuit?
• What happened to the business after the lawsuit?
• What were the long and short-term effects of the lawsuit?
Click Here to return to the writing prompts and questions about legal matters.
