Week 8 - Briefing Cases
Overview
This week's focus is on a genre in law school called the case brief. A case brief is just a summary of the judicial opinion.
As we learned last week, cases are judicial opinions--usually at the appellate level, meaning there was a trial and then the disappointed party appealed to an intermediary or final appellate court.
Whether to write case briefs in law school is one of the big debates you will have if you go to law school. As a writing professor, I'm a great believer in them because I'm a great believer in the power of writing to learn. In this case, one uses the brief as a way to help you understand what you've read. It is possible to pretend to read. It is not possible to pretend to write.
It is also a great technical writing and editing exercise, where you are writing about a technical issue in as precise and concise a manner as possible.
Reading & Resources
- Read this Lecture on Briefing Cases
- Read the Case Briefs assignment under "Major Assignments"
- (Re-)watch the videos from last week, particularly the third one, "Introduction to Reading Cases" from the Center on Innovation in Legal Education at the University of Utah.
- Watch this video on briefing cases:
Activities
- Participate in a check-in Tuesday discussion in Bb.
- Finish Discussion 7.1 from last week by Thursday.
- Start drafting the briefs (which are due at the end of Spring Break