Texas Bar Practice Blog |Legal Writing TipsWhy is the Oxford Comma So Controversial?Written byCourtney CavaliereSeptember 17, 2025Share this Post Although it may seem surprising to some, a simple punctuation mark—the Oxford comma—has been the subject of much (sometimes passionate) debate over the years. Also known as the serial comma, the Oxford comma is the one that precedes the conjunction in a series of three or more items. In the following sentence, it is the comma after “notice”: The attorney provided copies of the application, notice, and order. The Oxford comma sparks debate because it is considered optional. The sample sentence would still be grammatically correct without the comma after “notice.” Some people are taught at an early age to always use an Oxford comma, believing it leads to clearer and more balanced sentences. Others are taught that it is irrelevant and that including it only wastes time. Life-long adoption or avoidance of the Oxford comma then leads some to lobby heatedly for its use and others for its omission. What Style Guides Say About the Oxford Comma Compounding the problem, style guides offer different opinions on the Oxford comma. Most, including The Chicago Manual of Style, strongly recommend its use, since it prevents ambiguity. The Associated Press Stylebook, meanwhile, suggests avoiding Oxford …
