Federalese is an informal term for the specialized, often overly complicated, jargon-heavy language used in government documents, regulations, and legal codes.
Characterized by heavy use of the passive voice and technical terminology, federalese is often criticized for making simple things hard to understand. For example, instead of saying, "You must submit the form by June 1," directions might say, "All required documentation must be submitted on or before the first day of June." Federalese is the opposite of plain language. In fact, the Plain Writing Act of 2010 was passed to reduce the use of federalese, so that government forms and public-facing content are easier to understand.