How to Digest Cases

How To To Digest Cases B Y HOWARD CH AN

Digesting cases is a must in the college of law, this is actually regardless if it is eing re!uired y your "rofessor or not# Once cases are assigned, a law student must oser$e due diligence and read these cases#

%or freshmen law students, you may e wondering how to ma&e case digests or case riefs# Well, there are a few things to rememer and they are'

(# Be aware of the specifics of the case or the syllabus concerned # )n one case alone, there could e multi"le to"ics i#e# *olitical +aw, Remedial +aw, Ci$il +aw and there could e as many suto"ics i#e# for *olitical +aw there could e *olice *ower and -minent Domain# .nowing these can "ro"erly guide you with the /theme0 of your digests# But usually, you you will not ha$e a hard time with this ecause once cases are assigned1 your "rofessor would ha$e s"ecified these in his handouts# 2# Read the full text of the case# case # And when ) say read, don3t 4ust ree5e through it# Try to understand it the first time# This will sa$e you time ecause if you understood it on the first reading, you won3t ha$e to &ee" going ac& 4ust to read it all o$er again# Highlighting im"ortant te6ts of the case which are related to the to"ic you3re on will hel" you ha$e a coherent gras" of  the case# 7# Now after reading the case in full, you3re now ready to write your case digest# digest# )n a /formal0 case digest, there are fi$e "arts which are' •

Ca"tion 8 This is 4ust the title of the case# )t can e as "lain as /*eo"le $s 9uan de la Cru50 or detailed to include the :CRA numer, numer, ;R numer, "onente and the date#

•

%acts 8 This "ortion is to su""osed to answer the /W ho, What, When, How, Why0 stuff of the case#

•

)ssues 8 This is the legal conflict or the legal contro$ersy sought to e resol$ed y the :u"reme Court#

•

Ruling 8 This is the decision o r 4uris"rudence laid down y the court#

•

Concurring