Case Assignment Paper

Criteria for Case Assignment Paper

I. Directions: Select a recently decided (last few years) court case that has received media attention and answer the following:

II. General Information

a. Who are the parties (race, sex, etc…) and how do the parties know each other?

b. What type of case is it? Criminal v. Civil

c. What is the cause of action? Complaint? Indictment?

d. Federal or State case (where)?

i. What courthouse/courtroom?

ii. What Judge? Criminal or Civil case?

iii. Jury or Bench Trial?

e. Who were the parties represented by (Private Attorneys, Public Defenders, Prosecutors)?

III. Case Facts

a. What are the facts of the case?

b. What is each side arguing?

c. What happened during the trial/hearing?

d. What was the central issue of the case?

e. What rule of law was at issue (i.e. what law did the court apply)?

f. What stood out and why?

g. How many witnesses were called to testify? How were they related to litigants? Were they biased? Were they impeached?

IV. Outcome

a. What was the holding of the case? What was the outcome? What was the disposition/sentence? What was the legal remedy?

i. How did the parties react?

ii. Is there an appeal?

b. Was there an appellate opinion written?

i. By who?

ii. Dissent?

V. Conclusion/Personal Reflection

a. Why was this case in the media?

b. What makes it so controversial/important?

c. Why did you choose this case? What did you take away?

d. Did the defendant receive a fair trial? Why or why not?

e. What message, if any, does the outcome have on society?

f. Did race/sex/financial status play a role in the outcome of the trial? How and why?

NOTE: Must include foot notes with at least 3 non-internet sources. The other requirements (such as length of paper, font, paragraph style, etc…) are the same as the courtroom observation paper (found in the syllabus).