Law Coursework Tips: Using Case Law Effectively in Assignments

While analysing law in the UK may be exciting, there are drawbacks as well, specifically regarding writing assignments. Effective utilisation of case law is one of the toughest factors. Even though your lecture notes and textbooks can also contain a lot of instances, it might be hard to figure out the way to use them in an assignment.

The good news is that your essays and homework will seem more credible and receive better grades after you recognise how to cope with case law correctly. Even if you're new to using case law, this blog post will provide you with clear and useful recommendations and tips on how to do it effectively, offering a bit of coursework help along the way.

Why Case Law Is Important:

The foundation of the UK law system is case law, once in a while known as 'precedent' or 'judge-made law. Judges' rulings set up precedents that other courts comply with in not unusual law jurisdictions such as England and Wales. This suggests that cases are real resources of law in place of simply examples.

Using case law in your coursework demonstrates to the grader that you:

• Recognise the underlying prison ideas of the priority.
• Capable of using real-world examples to strengthen your arguments
• Understand the evolution of the regulation.

To put it in short, a strong utility of case law transforms an easy essay into a legitimate legal analysis.

7 Tips for Using Case Law in Your Assignments:

1. Begin By Comprehending The Case:

Make sure you grasp case names completely before you even keep them in mind for your essay. Take note of the following after studying the case summary (or, if it is not too lengthy, the judgment itself):

• The statistics: In fact, what occurred?
• The legal issue: What issue needed to be resolved by means of the court docket?
• The decision: What was the court's decision?
• The reasoning (Ratio decidendi): What led the court to make that ruling?
• Although without a doubt, it is tempting to create a quick case synopsis from classroom slides, understanding the content will permit you to apply the case more correctly and, with a bit of luck. Additionally, it'll save you from misusing instances or confusing them with different cases. This is a mistake that is easy to make.

2. Include Cases in Your Argument:

Students usually make the mistake of name-dropping in certain cases. 

For example:

• "The court determined the neighbour principle in Donoghue v. Stevenson.
  That's okay; however, it doesn't make clear how it relates to your point of view. Rather, you need to aid your argument with proof from the case.

Here's a more potent example:

• “The Donoghue v. Stevenson [1932] AC 562 principle demonstrates how a responsibility of care may increase in the absence of a proper contract. This concept helps the claim that producers have an obligation to purchasers and serves as the inspiration for current negligence regulation.”

Can you notice the difference? The argument is without delay related to the case. Students remember, "How does this situation assist the factor I'm making?" has to be your consistent question.

3. Make Use of the Correct Case Citation:

It's critical to adhere to the proper referencing style while doing law coursework within the UK. The Oxford University Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities, or OSCOLA, is the style that most schools require their college students to apply.

This is how a complete citation for a case appears: 

• Donoghue v Stevenson [1932] AC 562 (HL)

Be cautious to feature:

• The case name, underlined or italicised
• The year enclosed in square brackets
• The acronym for the law file (e.g., AC, QB, All ER)
• The preliminary web page number
• If it isn't always clear from the record collection, the courtroom is in brackets.

Additionally, you may utilise a condensed version of the quotation in a while (consisting of the simplest Donoghue v. Stevenson) after presenting the whole one the first time. Correct citations show interest in detail; that's relatively valued with the aid of markers.

4. Examine and Differentiate Cases:

Comparing instances is another splendid method to win over your teachers. There are several instances in law where judges have given motives for their differing selections or in which one case observed some other.

For example: 

• "The court in Caparo Industries v. Dickman [1990] 2 AC 605 progressed the take a look at for duty of care by using three particular factors, even though Donoghue v. Stevenson established the neighbour principle."

Not only are you listing times here, but you're also demonstrating how the law has advanced and the way one case builds upon another. Higher-level thinking is exactly what coursework markers are seeking out, and this demonstrates it.

5. Connect Statutes to Case Law:

Case law complements the law in lots of areas. Remember to illustrate the relationship between the two.

If you are writing on criminal law, for instance, you may talk about how the courts have interpreted a positive clause of an Act. This demonstrates your comprehension of both the legal text and the practical application of the regulation by using judges.

For example:

• "The case of R v. Morris [1984] AC 320 clarified what counts as 'appropriation' beneath the Theft Act 1968, even though it lays out the factors of robbery."

6. Don't Write Too Much in Your Essay:

It's easy to expect that adding additional examples will inevitably strengthen your work. However, it may not help to cram ten case names without any context.

Attempt to apply fewer, however, more thorough cases. Explaining 3 or 4 compelling, pertinent instances in an element is a long way more efficient than listing ten with no evaluation. Quality is usually advanced over quantity.

7. Examine and Edit How You Use Cases:

After writing your preliminary draft, evaluate it and make sure:

• Do the instances relate to the inquiry?
• Have you described how your argument is supported by way of means of every case?
• Do you have accurate and regular citations?
• Do you strike a balance among criminal concepts and instances?

Your final grade may additionally trade significantly because of this quick evaluation.

Wrapping It Up:

Effectively making use of case law can, to begin with, seem overwhelming; however, it is an ability that improves with exercise. Understanding the times, connecting them to your factors, and genuinely citing their importance are important. Always cite your resources correctly, and prioritise intensity above quantity.

Gaining proficiency in this location can advantage your instructional work in addition to your future regulation profession with the aid of imparting to you a strong foundation for assessments and moots. So, the next time you sit down to put together a task and write a challenge, recall that you can control case regulation. Moreover, don’t hesitate to seek assignment writing help in case you want more guidance.