CASE BRIEF ASSIGNMENT
Please find a U.S. Supreme Court case. Please note that you can find the link to the U.S. Supreme Court web site under the “Getting Started” module. Just click on the “Online Course Resources” tab. Once you arrive at the U.S. Supreme Court site, you can search for cases by clicking on the “opinions” tab.
The case can be on any topic that is covered in business law. For example, you could select a case involving a contract, tort, crime or other topic that is covered in the textbook. Please select a case that has been decided in the last twenty years.
For your reference, you can review the information regarding case briefs which begins on page 29 of Chapter One in your textbook. While there is more than one way to brief a case, please use the format I have provided below. The brief should be between 2 and 3 pages in length, single spaced.
The case brief assignments will be reviewed using Turnitin, a software program which checks the originality of an assignment. When summarizing each section of the assignment, please paraphrase the information. Imagine that you are summarizing the case to someone who does not have a great deal of knowledge about the law. If you take any of the language directly from the court’s decision, then it must be in quotes.
You do not need to use any sources other than the case opinion itself. If you do, you must cite the source and include a works cited.
Your brief should include the following elements:
1. Case name: Include the names of the parties such as Brown v. Board of Education.
- The name of the court deciding the case: For example, The U.S Supreme Court.
- Case citation: An example of a citation is as follows: 552 U.S. 661 (1987). The year should be in parentheses. The purpose of including the case citation is so attorneys or judges can easily locate the case for themselves.
4. Key facts: State the relevant and significant aspects of the case briefly. Tell a short story. The facts should identify the plaintiff and defendant, report the events leading up to the lawsuit and state the relief the plaintiff is seeking. Also, give a brief description of the procedural history.
5. Issue: This is the legal question the court is being asked to address. Sometimes, there are many issues. Focus on the primary issue(s).
- Rule: The general legal principle applied to the facts of the case. For example, this could be a provision in a state or federal statute or a case precedent. The Court may review different rules. State the rule the Court applies to resolve the issue.
- Decision: State how the court resolved the issue. An example of a decision would be the lower court decision is reversed or affirmed.
8. Reasoning: This section explains why the court made this decision. Summarize the reasons the court ruled this way.
9. Critical Analysis: What did you think of the court’s decision? Be sure to explain why you agree or disagree. Additionally, please explain how this case is relevant to a career in business. Finally, state at least two reasons why another student studying business law should read this case.
As far as formatting is concerned, use the elements of the case brief as headings. For example, the case name and key facts would be headings. You can then state the information under each heading which should be single spaced. You can double space between the headings.
