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Torts Keyed to Prosser
Erie Ins. Co. v. Amazon.com
Citation:
925 F.3d 135Only StudyBuddy Pro offers the complete Case Brief Anatomy*
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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:
Dream Light, a manufacturer of headlamps, had an agreement where it shipped its inventory to Amazon.com (“Amazon”) (defendant). Once an order was received online for the product, Amazon would retrieve the headlamp from the inventory, box it, and ship it to the purchaser. One day in Maryland, Trung Cao purchased a headlamp on the Amazon website. Amazon packaged and shipped the headlamp to Cao using a third-party shipper, UPS Ground. Cao gave the headlamp to one of his friends as a gift. The headlamp’s batteries malfunctioned and it caused the friends’ home to catch on fire. The insurer of the home, Erie Insurance Company (“Erie”) (plaintiff), had to pay the $300,000 in damages to the house. Erie sued Amazon to obtain reimbursement. Erie alleged negligence, breach of warranty, and strict liability in tort. Amazon contended that it was not the “seller.” Erie, however, argued that Amazon took so much control over the transaction that it effectively became the seller. Amazon moved for summary judgment and the trial court granted the motion. Erie appealed.
- 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.
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- 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.
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