Confirm favorite deletion?
Constitutional Law Keyed to Choper
Mathews v. Lucas
Facts
The Lucas children (Plaintiffs) are illegitimate children who were denied survivor’s benefits after their father’s death. Under the Social Security Act, children who are dependent on a parent at the time of the parent’s death are entitled to survivor’s benefits. Under the Act, legitimate children and some classes of illegitimate children are presumed to be dependent, and need not submit proof of dependency when applying for benefits. Other illegitimate children must prove that the deceased was the child’s parent, and that at the time of death the parent was either living with or supporting the child. Plaintiffs proved that the deceased was their father, but were denied benefits because they did not prove that their father was living with or supporting them at the time of his death. Plaintiffs argue that their denial of benefits violates the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment, because other children are entitled to benefits regardless of actual dependency, while they are not.
Only StudyBuddy Pro offers the complete Case Brief Anatomy*
Access the most important case brief elements for optimal case understanding.
*Case Brief Anatomy includes: Brief Prologue, Complete Case Brief, Brief Epilogue
- 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.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.