I've heard the phrase 'and so' so much lately it's bothering me quite a bit. I performed a Web search for the term and I am unable to find anything that states definitively that it is used incorrectly in most cases. Visual Thesaurus treats it as a legitimate term, but I think it is grossly overused. People often use "and so" when all they really need is "so."

I think in most cases the "and" in phrases like "and then" and "and so" is extraneous. "So" is synonymous with "thus," "therefore," "indeed," and "then." In most cases, it is more appropriate to leave the "and" off of words like this. Sentences using these words often go like this: "Such and such happened or is true; so, this follows." There is no "and" necessary to make that a complete thought. Don't use "and so" in these cases.

Creative writing, on the other hand, is a different animal, well-known for breaking all the rules and offending sensibilities. :-)

I encourage you to read patty-c's post, above, also.

Down with "and so!" (in most cases - Travis's usage example is fine, imho)