Case Brief Template and Tips for Writing It
A case brief can be defined as a shortened and concise summary of a court opinion. It usually comes in an outline form. It can be used to present a case to other people as its much simpler compared to the actual case file. If you want to write this kind of document, let’s see the following case brief template!
The Elements of a Case Brief Template
A case brief document at least contains 3 key elements. They include:
- The specific legal issue that is in question in the case
- The specific legal rule of law to be applied to the case
- The conclusion or holding of the court
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What Is a Case Brief for?
A case brief can be used for different purposes. They are:
- For the class
The main reason a law student create a sample case brief is to prepare for the class. By making the important information from the cases in the textbooks, you will understand them easier.
- For legal writing & research
Briefing cases will help you indentifying the crucial information to complete legal analysis & arguments.
- For outlining
By outlining cases briefly, you can integrate the information and develop an understanding of the laws better.
Components of a Case Brief Template
There are a few components a case brief example should have:
- Parties involved
Here, you should identify all the involved parties clearly.
- Court
You are required to include the court that had heard the case whether it is an intermediate appellate court, Supreme Court, federal court, or state court.
- Citation
It is the information that will state where the case was published.
- Date of the citation
You should also include the date the case had been decided.
- Procedural history
It contains the different courts the case was heard in, the events during precious court proceedings, and how the case came at the most current court.
- Issues
You may refer to the table of contents, the section & chapter headings, case introduction, as well as case notes.
- Facts
All the needed facts & context facts should be included.
- Holding
It refers to the answer to the legal questions asked in the case.
- Reasoning
You can look for the locations where the court applies the law to the different facts.
- Judgment
It is what the court had done as a result of the holding. It is how the appellate court resolved the case. It can also give directions to the trial court.
Tips for Writing a Case Brief?
After paying attention to the case brief sample template, it is important to know about the tips to write a case brief:
- Find the facts of the case & create an outline of them!
- Make a record of what has happened in the cast until now!
- Put the main issue(s) together in the case & present them in question forms!
- Establish the principle of law or rule of law used in case!
- Write the legal reasoning!
- Don’t be too focused on writing the concurring/dissenting opinion of the judge!
- Think about the importance of the brief!
- Write questions you have about the case!
By paying attention to the case brief template available here, you have to be able to practice writing such a document on your own.
Printable Case Brief Template Sample
