HowtoBriefaCase

Confsionoftenarisesoverthetermlegalbrief.Thereareatleasttwodifferentsensesinwhichthetermissed.

Appellatebrief

Anappellatebriefisawrittenlegalargmentpresentedtoanappellatecort.Itsprposeistopersadethehighercorttopholdorreversethetrialcortsdecision.Briefsofthiskindarethereforegearedtopresentingtheissesinvolvedinthecasefromtheperspectiveofonesideonly.

Appellatebriefsfrombothsidescanbeveryvalabletoanyoneassessingthelegalissesraisedinacase.Unfortnately,theyarerarelypblished.TheU.S.SpremeCortistheonlycortforwhichbriefsarereglarlyavailableinpblishedform.TheLandmarkBriefsseries（REF.LAWKF101.9.K8）incldestheflltextsofbriefsrelatingtoaveryfewofthemanycasesheardbythiscort.Inaddition,smmariesofthebriefsfiledonbehalfoftheplaintiffordefendantforallcasesreportedareincldedintheU.S.SpremeCortReports.LawyersEd.,2nd.series（REF.LAWKF101.A42）.

Stdentbrief

Astdentbriefisashortsmmaryandanalysisofthecasepreparedforseinclassroomdiscssion.Itisasetofnotes,presentedinasystematicway,inordertosortottheparties,identifytheisses,ascertainwhatwasdecided,andanalyzethereasoningbehinddecisionsmadebythecorts.

Althoghstdentbriefsalwaysincldethesameitemsofinformation,theforminwhichtheseitemsaresetotcanvary.Beforecommittingyorselftoaparticlarformforbriefingcases,checkwithyorinstrctortoensrethattheformyohavechosenisacceptable.

THEPARTIESANDHOWTOKEEPTRACKOFTHEM

Beginningstdentsoftenhavedifficltyidentifyingrelationshipsbetweenthepartiesinvolvedincortcases.Thefollowingdefinitionsmayhelp：

Plaintiffssedefendantsincivilsitsintrialcorts.

Thegovernment（stateorfederal）prosectesdefendantsincriminalcasesintrialcorts.

Thelosingpartyinacriminalprosectionoracivilactionmayaskahigher（appellate）corttoreviewthecaseonthegrondthatthetrialcortjdgemadeamistake