Civil Procedure Keyed to Yeazell
Semtek International, Inc. v. Lockheed Martin Corp.
ProfessorTodd Berman
CaseCast™ – "What you need to know"
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- The Brief Prologue provides necessary case brief introductory information and includes:
- Topic: Identifies the topic of law and where this case fits within your course outline.
- Parties: Identifies the cast of characters involved in the case.
- Procedural Posture & History: Shares the case history with how lower courts have ruled on the matter.
- Case Key Terms, Acts, Doctrines, etc.: A case specific Legal Term Dictionary.
- Case Doctrines, Acts, Statutes, Amendments and Treatises: Identifies and Defines Legal Authority used in this case.
- The Case Brief is the complete case summarized and authored in the traditional Law School I.R.A.C. format. The Pro case brief includes:
- Brief Facts: A Synopsis of the Facts of the case.
- Rule of Law: Identifies the Legal Principle the Court used in deciding the case.
- Facts: What are the factual circumstances that gave rise to the civil or criminal case? What is the relationship of the Parties that are involved in the case. Review the Facts of this case here:
Plaintiff filed suit in California state court against Defendant alleging inducement of breach of contract and various business torts. Defendant moved the case to Federal District Court in California via diversity jurisdiction and successfully moved to dismiss Plaintiff’s claim as barred by California’s 2-year statute of limitations. The District Court dismissed the suit “on the merits and with prejudice.” Plaintiff then re-filed suit against Defendant, this time in Maryland state court. Lockheed again had the case removed to Federal district court, this time in Maryland, and ask the court to apply claim-preclusive effect to the California Federal District Court’s adjudication on the merits, and dismiss the suit.
- Issue(s): Lists the Questions of Law that are raised by the Facts of the case.
- Holding: Shares the Court's answer to the legal questions raised in the issue.
- Concurring / Dissenting Opinions: Includes valuable concurring or dissenting opinions and their key points.
- Reasoning and Analysis: Identifies the chain of argument(s) which led the judges to rule as they did.
- The Brief Prologue closes the case brief with important forward-looking discussion and includes:
- Policy: Identifies the Policy if any that has been established by the case.
- Court Direction: Shares where the Court went from here for this case.