Anatomy of a Case

Analyze an appellate decision using the case study method. Use this format to identify the basic elements of an appellate case.

Case Citation: (Include the name of the plaintiff and defendant, the year the decision was announced and the recorder where the print decision can be located.)

Fact Situation: (State concisely what happened in this case. What was the finding of the trial court? What was the finding of the lower appellate court?)

Legal Question: (What are issues/legal questions presented to the court?)

Arguments: (What are the arguments presented by the attorneys for the plaintiff and the attorneys for the defendant?)

Holding: (What is the court’s decision? How did the court apply case law to the fact situation? Was a dissenting opinion published?)

Significance of the Case: (Did the court follow precedent? How broad is the application of the court’s decision? What impact will the court’s decision have?)

Last updated: Monday, September 6, 2010 | 13:14:04