Description
Does not have to be very long. Essentially a summary of the case Yates v. U.S. 135S.Ct 1074 (2015). Please add ac couple sources.
Follow the “IRAC” method in briefing cases:
Facts
Write a brief summary of the facts as the court found them to be. Eliminate facts that are not
relevant to the court’s analysis. For example, a business’s street address is probably not relevant
to the court’s decision of the issue of whether the business that sold a defective product is liable
for the resulting injuries to the plaintiff. However, suppose a customer who was assaulted as she
left its store is suing the business. The customer claims that her injuries were the reasonably
foreseeable result of the business’s failure to provide security patrols. If the business is located in
an upscale neighborhood, then perhaps it could argue that its failure to provide security patrols is
reasonable. If the business is located in a crime-ridden area, then perhaps the customer is right.
Instead of including the street address in the case brief, you may want to simply describe the type
of neighborhood in which it is located. (Note: the time of day would be another relevant factor in
this case, among others).
Procedural History
What court authored the opinion: The United States Supreme Court? The California Court of
Appeal? The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals? (Hint: Check under the title of the case: The Court
and year of the decision will be given). If a trial court issued the decision, is it based on a trial, or
motion for summary judgment, etc.? If an appellate court issued the decision, how did the lower
courts decide the case?
Issue
What is the question presented to the court? Usually, only one issue will be discussed, but
sometimes there will be more. What are the parties fighting about, and what are they asking the
court to decide? For example, in the case of the assaulted customer, the issue for a trial court to
decide might be whether the business had a duty to the customer to provide security patrols. The
answer to the question will help to ultimately determine whether the business is liable for
negligently failing to provide security patrols: whether the defendant owed plaintiff a duty of
care, and what that duty of care is, are key issues in negligence claims.
Rule(s):
Determine what the relevant rules of law are that the court uses to make its decision. These rules
will be identified and discussed by the court. For example, in the case of the assaulted customer,
the relevant rule of law is that a property owner’s duty to prevent harm to invitees is determined
by balancing the foreseeability of the harm against the burden of preventive measures. There
may be more than one relevant rule of law to a case: for example, in a negligence case in which
the defendant argues that the plaintiff assumed the risk of harm, the relevant rules of law could be the elements of negligence, and the definition of “assumption of risk” as a defense. Don’t just
simply list the cause of action, such as “negligence” as a rule of law: What rule must the court
apply to the facts to determine the outcome?
Application/Analysis:
This may be the most important portion of the brief. The court will have examined the facts in
light of the rule, and probably considered all “sides” and arguments presented to it. How courts
apply the rule to the facts and analyze the case must be understood in order to properly predict
outcomes in future cases involving the same issue. What does the court consider to be a relevant
fact given the rule of law? How does the court interpret the rule: for example, does the court
consider monetary costs of providing security patrols in weighing the burden of preventive
measures? Does the court imply that if a business is in a dangerous area, then it should be willing
to bear a higher cost for security? Resist the temptation to merely repeat what the court said in
analyzing the facts: what does it mean to you? Summarize the court’s rationale in your own
words. If you encounter a word that you do not know, use a dictionary to find its meaning.
Conclusion
What was the final outcome of the case? In one or two sentences, state the court’s ultimate
finding. For example, the business did not owe the assaulted customer a duty to provide security
patrols.
