34+ Sample Case Brief

What Is a Case Brief?

From the name itself, a case brief is a short document that provides details of a legal or court case in a nutshell. It can contain several sections and can be summarized using various methods. 

Did you know? The longest-running case that was ever fought inside a courtroom was that of the legal battle of Myra Clark Gaines. It took the American complainant and socialite 57 long years of court proceedings and litigation to establish her inheritance and control over her deceased father’s estate in New Orleans. The case even appeared seventeen times before the Supreme Court. But unfortunately, she did not live to see the US Supreme Court decision that eventually ruled in her favor. Myra Clark Gaines died at 78 years old on January 9, 1885. The legal battle lasted from 1834-1891, making it the longest case ever in United States history. 

Types of Cases

In judicial procedure, cases are usually categorized into subgroups. Most people associate wrongdoing with criminal behavior. The state recognizes most of these wrongdoings; these may be labeled as an offense or infraction, and not necessarily a dangerous crime. Court cases come in different degrees and severity of criminality. Most cases fall under these three main types:

Criminal Cases: Mainstream media often portrays onscreen crime as criminal in nature. Many of us are familiar with robbery, homicide, kidnapping, and rape as serious and heinous crimes. Criminal cases are often behavioral or pathological in nature. According to the U.S. Courts website, only the federal government can prosecute criminal cases via the U.S. attorney’s office. Popular culture and mass media are known to sensationalize these types of cases mainly because of their criminal and deviant nature. Civil Cases: The more common cases are civil ones. These constitute a dispute between different parties, with one party claiming the other caused injury or damages against them. A lot of civil cases involve material possessions such as money or property. Vehicular accidents, fraud, negligence, and malpractice are some examples of civil cases. When a person is accused of breaching a contract, a plaintiff may go to the courts and file a lawsuit against that person. Private individuals and organizations can initiate civil cases, and a settlement may also be reached as a way of resolving a case. For instance, if two former business partners are embroiled in a property dispute, they can raise the matter to a civil court in order to settle their argument. Family Cases: The third type of case involves family relationships such as those between spouses, relatives, and children. Domestic issues and disputes such as custody battles, divorce, and legal guardianship fall under family cases. If a woman is looking to protect her children and herself from an abusive spouse, she can seek a protection order from the courts.

Parts of a Case Brief

There are different ways to write a case brief. Some contain more sections while others use a more condensed approach such as the IRAC method. Regardless of method, a case brief will typically contain the following components: 

Case Title: A case brief always needs a title. A case number is also assigned by the courts. The title is typically styled as Example 1 v. Example 2. The title is usually the respondent’s family name or a company name. Parties: Make sure to clearly state the parties involved. Introduce the defendant and the plaintiff, or the accused and the accuser, respectively. Procedure: There are different types of courts like the district courts, trial courts, appellate courts, etc. The procedure provides a short explanation or brief history as to what court or courts were directly involved, in relation to the case. Cases can also be heard at a state or federal level. This section describes the level the case is at. Issue: What are the pain points that’s causing all the trouble? The issue is the statement of the problem. What is the court trying to address or what problem is the case trying to resolve? In your case brief, make sure your issue is stated in the form of a question. For instance, a disgruntled ex-employee decides to sue his former employer for breach of contract. The issue would be to what extent is the company liable for the offense or injury inflicted on the complainant. Facts: The facts contain the main details of the story. Be descriptive when explaining what happened. Much like a police report, make sure to cover the four W’s: the who, what, when, and where. Try to be specific as possible and avoid any vague details or overly broad statements. You can use direct quotations or verbatim language if the person’s verbal expressions are relevant to the case. Rule: What was the ruling or decision of the court? Indicate what state or federal law is used with regard to the case. In other words, what ruling did the court apply? This part of the case brief answers the issue, but does so in a direct and matter-of-fact way. Save your interpretations and reasoning for the analysis portion of the brief. Analysis: How did the ruling come to such a conclusion? This is where you use your reasoning to expound on the ruling. How did the court or judge reach that particular decision? For the analysis section of the brief, you may merge the facts and the rule of the case to justify the court’s decision. Make sure to clearly explain the decision by citing specific instances in the case narrative. You may also want to highlight what specific laws were significant or decisive in the ruling. Holding: The holding is sometimes referred to as the conclusion. Again, it is reiterating and combining both the rule and the analysis sections. It further answers the issue or problem statement. For instance, was the defendant deemed negligent? Was the accused found guilty of the crime? Or was the perpetrator absolved of any responsibility? In the holding, you can also state if the ruling was affirmed by the court or judge. Judgement: Only cases that do not get resolved on the lower or local level are brought up to the higher courts. Sometimes, the Supreme Court or an appellate court will hear cases that are difficult to settle or those that pose a challenge for the lower courts. There are many instances where a lower court’s decision is overturned or reversed by the higher courts, like the Supreme Court. The last component in a case brief details the judgment or final disposition of a case. To further illustrate, defendants are entitled to appeal their case. They may opt to file a petition or a motion of reconsideration. The final judgment in a case brief explains whether or not these actions were granted or denied.

How to Write a Case Brief

Now that you have a general idea of what your case brief should contain, follow the steps below to get started. You have the option to use popular methods such as the IRAC method (Issue, Rule, Analysis/Application, Conclusion) to write your case brief. Or to make it more convenient, you may also use any of the editable templates above. 

Step 1: Provide the Case Title

Make sure your title is styled the appropriate way and in the right legal format. Start your case brief by introducing the parties that are at odds. Assign the roles accordingly as defendant and plaintiff. In criminal cases, the prosecuting party is normally the federal government. It is usually stated in the manner of United States of America v. complete name of defendant. Further, case numbers are normally assigned by the court clerks. As you write your case brief, include this in the title along with the year. Each state has their own way of assigning or designating numbers for uniformity, it is best to check these beforehand. 

Step 2: State the Facts of the Case 

Information and facts are gathered in collaboration with law enforcement agencies such as police departments. Regardless if it is a criminal, civil, or family case, facts are important in the decision-making process of any courtroom. All case briefs require a clear and concise account of the facts. Describe the events of what happened and be specific with the details. Assign the appropriate legal labels when describing the characters in your narrative. It’s also good to maintain a consistent and chronological order of events. When stating the facts of the case, you want to avoid any unnecessary or irrelevant details that have little or nothing to do with the court decision. It is a case brief, after all, and not a comprehensive and lengthy study.     

Step 3: Introduce and Describe the Problem  

What was the complainant’s issue all about? What were the two parties fighting over? What was the nature of the crime? Once you’ve established the facts, state the issue clearly and describe it in question form. For instance, in a lot of civil court cases, the question of whether one party was negligent or liable is a common contention. Another example would be cases involving marriage and family issues. One possible issue is the question of who is most eligible to claim primary custody of a minor child. Another example would be in cases such as assault and battery. To what extent can a man be held responsible for cheering on a brawl between two men, and encouraging an attack that leaves one man permanently paralyzed? Is his negligence a crime? Or was he complicit for adding fuel to the fire?  

Step 4: Provide the Rule and Reasoning 

Lastly, answer the issue or problem statement by citing specific laws and explaining what the court’s final decisions were based on the facts. You can support your reasoning by providing specific details about what the court was able to prove or disprove. Justify the court’s ruling by citing instances based on the facts and existing laws. In other words, it basically means offering a legal analysis of the entire case. End your case brief by providing a short but direct holding or conclusion of the court’s decision.  

FAQs

What is a case brief?

A case brief is a summarized and shortened version of a legal case. The case can either be a criminal case, civil case, or a family case. It provides only the key points such as the facts, issues, and court ruling. A case brief follows a specific format that is easier to digest; and is most often used by law students and paralegals. Typically, a case brief should be no more than one or two pages long.

How do you write a case brief?

To write a case brief, make sure you prepare the necessary details ahead. A case brief is meant to organize information to make it easier to read and follow. Start by providing a title and always keep in mind the right format. Introduce the parties involved and present the problem posed by these parties. Indicate the ruling that was applied and justify the legal reasoning in the analysis section of the brief. Conclude by stating the holding or the final decision of the court . To make it a little easier, use an existing template above so you don’t need to start from scratch.

What is the purpose of a case brief?

The purpose of a case brief is to give a convenient summary of a reading or a case. Law students are required to study hundreds of case files and are expected to know and understand the important details such as the facts, outcomes, etc. With a case brief, these details are readily presented and highlighted. All in all, a case brief is really just to make it easier to narrow down the main details of a case without having to go through the intricacies of the entire case file.

How long does it take to brief a case?

A case brief may be short and summarized in writing, but the actual reading and understanding of it may take longer. How long it would take a person to brief a case will depend on the person’s ability and reading comprehension. If you’re in a team meeting or case briefing with fellow lawyers and law students, it is possible to cover the main points in under an hour.

Going through page after page of court proceedings and legal decisions can be quite exhausting. Not only do you have to read dozens of pages, law students and legal practitioners have to exert effort enough to understand the case and all its intricacies. Whether simple or complex, it is possible for legal cases to be packaged into a more condensed and straightforward version. Browse through a wide selection of case brief templates above to get started today!