Law $1101-$ Homework for Chapter $4$

Analysis of a Court Document

Read the court document in the case entitled Bill Rector and Shannon Rector, individually,

and as parents and natural guardians of P$.$R$.,$ a minor, Plaintiffs, v$.$ Kellogg Company, a foreign

corporation, Defendant.

Remember that procedural laws prescribe the way the substantive law is applied and the way

disputes are handled. Using the information provided in the court document and chapter $4$ of

textbook, answer the following questions about the case:

$($a$)$ What kind of a court document is this and what role does this document play in a

court proceeding?

$($b$)$ Who are the parties $($the plaintiffs and the defendant$)$ named in the court document?

$($c$)$ In what court and in what state is the case filed, and is it a federal court or a state

court?

$($d$)$ What are the bases for the court's jurisdiction and venue alleged in this court

document? Be sure to discuss both jurisdiction over the subject matter $($the power to

hear this kind of case$)$ and jurisdiction over the parties $($the power to hear a case

against this defendant$).$

$($e$)$ In $25$ words or less, what are the facts of the legal dispute that led to this case?

$($f$)$ Is this a criminal case or a civil case?

$($g$)$ Does the legal dispute raise issues of public law or private law? How do you know?

$($h$)$ As a remedy, does this case primarily seek monetary damages or a non$-$monetary

remedy?

You should be able to answer parts $($a$)$ through $($d$)$ and $($f$)$ through $($g$)$ in one or two sentences each.

This assignment is low$-$stakes homework that will be graded "pass plus" $(10$ points$),$ "pass" $(9$

points$),$ or "pass minus" $(8$ points$)$ if you turn it in on time and make a good$-$faith effort to answer

the questions.

We will revisit this court document later in the semester when we study tort law.