Briefing a case is an important kill for everyone in the legal profession. It is an effective way to ensure you understand and have analyzed the case. The general format of the case brief is: Identify the case name and provide the correct citation. This will allow you to know the court, state, and year it was decided. Identify key facts, cases are fact specific. Outline the procedural history, how it got o this court and what the previous holdings were.Issues presented,these are the legal questions the court is addressing and will rule on.Holding,in a sentence or two describe the courts determination and legal principle.Rationale, describe the reason and rationale behind the courts ruling or point of law.

Read and brief: In Re Williams, 414 N.W. 2d, 394 (1987)

This can be found in your Westlaw account or online, or in Minnesota Judicial Branch Supreme Court cases.

How to brief a case:

Part Maximum Words

1. Case name and citation 25

2. Summary of key facts in the case 125

3. Issue presented by the case, stated as a one-sentence

question answerable only by yes or no 25

4. Holdingthe court's resolution of the issue 25

5. A summary of the court's reasoning justifying the holding 200

Total words 400