1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,040 Hi, welcome to the Australian Law Students Law Info Podcast, 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:07,360 Your go to podcast for legal insights in 4 minutes or less. 3 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:10,440 I'm Nick Hodgkinson. Today we're talking about how to 4 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:14,480 write a good case note. With writing case notes it's 5 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:16,239 really important to start strong. 6 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,600 Begin with an introduction which tells your reader what type of 7 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:22,760 law you're discussing, the main issues and what the court 8 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:24,920 decided. You should ask yourself whether 9 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:28,120 or not the case is a big deal. Whether it's set a rule or 10 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:31,800 followed an old one, your introduction is like a road map 11 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:34,840 for the reader. Next, you want to lay down the 12 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:36,720 facts. They're the building blocks of 13 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:39,160 your case notes, so you should highlight the important stuff 14 00:00:39,160 --> 00:00:40,680 and give a bit of background too. 15 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:44,240 Remember to keep it simple. Who were the parties involved? 16 00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:47,160 What happened, and what arguments did their counsel 17 00:00:47,160 --> 00:00:49,760 throw around? We aren't writing a novel, so 18 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:53,120 just set the stage. Third, tell us what the court 19 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:55,120 decided. Share the outcome for each 20 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,000 important issue and why the court said what it said. 21 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:01,840 Point out any special rules and if the judge said something 22 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:03,760 interesting but not directly related. 23 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:10,440 If some judges didn't agree or dissented, tell us why. 4th Dive 24 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:13,160 into the details and this is the meat of your case. 25 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:15,760 Note this is where you get to share your thoughts. 26 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:19,520 Talk about what's already there and what's against the court's 27 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:21,800 decision. Dig into their reasons. 28 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:26,040 Are they good or a bit iffy? Try to guess how this case might 29 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:29,840 affect others in the future. You could also think about the 30 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:31,760 questions that the court didn't answer. 31 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:36,840 It's your chance to show off your legal brain. 5th you want 32 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:39,240 to bring it all together with a solid conclusion. 33 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:42,360 Remind the reader why the case matters and what might happen 34 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:44,680 next. If the decision is a really big 35 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:48,360 deal, explain why. Again, keep it short or long, 36 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:50,160 depending on the length of your case. 37 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,200 Note. So remember, writing case notes 38 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:54,960 is a little bit like telling a story. 39 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:57,880 It's not just a summary, it's your take on things. 40 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:01,440 As you start writing your case notes, ask yourself, did the 41 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,320 case break some old rules? Did it deal with a big issue? 42 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:08,840 Is it the first of its kind? Make a case, so to speak, for 43 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:11,640 why the decision matters and there you go. 44 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:13,720 That's a simple guide to rocking your case notes. 45 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:16,920 Join us next time on the Australian Law, Students Law and 46 00:02:16,920 --> 00:02:19,360 for podcast. As always, if you have any 47 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:24,720 suggestions, please e-mail us at team@theozlawstudent.com or 48 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:28,160 leave a comment in your review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.