Evidence keyed to Waltz
Commonwealth v. Holden
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*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. Review the Facts of this case here:
The defendant was prosecuted and convicted for first degree murder. Ms. Smith, the victim, was killed in her home on December 31, 1955, after being struck in the head. The defendant claimed he was not in the victim’s home at the time of the incident and was innocent. When police arrested the defendant, they took him to the home of Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones was with the defendant several hours before the killing. Mr. Jones was questioned by police with the defendant present. During trial, the State asked Mr. Jones whether the defendant did anything unusual during the questioning. Mr. Jones replied that the defendant winked, but he did not know if he winked or had something in his eye. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania affirmed the conviction in finding the evidence sufficient. The majority opinion is not part of the text, only the dissenting opinion of Justice Musmanno as discussed below.
- 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.