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Constitutional Law Keyed to Chemerinsky
Allied Structural Steel Co. v. Spannus
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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.
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- 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.
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- 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:
The Appellant funded a pension plan for all employees. At age 65 each employee was entitled to receive a pension equal to 1% of their average monthly salary, multiplied the number of years of service. The pension right became vested, in that employment termination could not affect the right to receive the money. But, the company was free to terminate the pension plan at any time for any reason. Minnesota passed a law requiring any employer with more than 100 employees who provided pension benefits, to pay a pension funding charge if the funds were insufficient to cover all employees who had worked for at least 10 years with the company. In the summer of 1974, the Appellant closed its Minnesota office. Nine of the employees did not have vested rights under the company’s plan, but they had worked for the company for 10 years. So, the state charged Appellant a fee of $185,000 under the Act.
- Issue(s): Lists the Questions of Law that are raised by the Facts of the case.
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