Torts Keyed to Dobbs
DeShaney v. Winnebago County Dept. of Social Services
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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.
- 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:
DeShaney (P) was a child of divorced parents. He was given into his father’s custody. The Winnebago County Department of Social Services (D) became aware that the father beat DeShaney. DeShaney was hospitalized and later removed from his father’s custody. Later the county returned him to his father. Afterward, he received a violent beating from his father which led to permanent brain damage. He and his mother filed a civil rights claim against the county Department of Social Services, alleging its failure to remove him from his abusive father’s custody. The district court granted summary judgment in favor of the county, and the verdict was upheld by the appellate court. The Supreme Court granted review.
- Issue(s): Lists the Questions of Law that are raised by the Facts of the case.
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- 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.
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