Law school involves a lot of reading. Much of that reading consists of court cases. Often, law students have to prioritize their reading, and some cases will need to be skimmed rather than read thoroughly. This article will teach you skim court cases effectively so that you can fully participate in class discussions and learn the important parts of the courts' reasoning and holdings for your exams.
Instructions
1. Set up your supplies. You will need your assigned court case and either a highlighter, a computer, or pen and paper.
2. Skim the case. Always read the first and last sentences of each paragraph in the court case. Those sentences should summarize the paragraph and give you a good idea of what is going on in either the fact pattern or the court's reasoning. By using this method, you can often decide which paragraphs need your full attention and which ones can be skipped.
3. Look for keywords, such as "held" or "holds," "summary" or "summarize," or "we conclude" or "in conclusion," and read those parts of the case.
4. Look for key headings, such as "Analysis" or "Discussion," and read the first and last paragraphs in those sections.
5. Think about why you were assigned this particular case. If it was to illustrate the use of a statute or prior precedent, then skim the case for mention of the statute or precedent and read those sections of the case.
6. Highlight the keywords, holdings of the court and critical analysis that you find by skimming the case. Alternatively, you can outline those elements of the case on a computer, or with paper and pen.
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