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Mapp v. Ohio (IRAC Brief)

⚖️ Mapp v. Ohio (1961) – Fourth Amendment Landmark Case Brief Court: Supreme Court of the United States Date: June 19, 1961 Citation: 367 U.S. 643 Author of Majority Opinion: Justice Tom C. Clark ❓ Issue Does the exclusionary rule, which prohibits illegally obtained evidence from being used in federal court, also apply to state courts through the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause? 📜 Rule The Fourth Amendment protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures . The exclusionary rule , first announced in Weeks v. United States, 232 U.S. 383 (1914) , prevents evidence obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment from being used in federal courts . Under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause , fundamental rights can be “incorporated” against the states, meaning state governments must also honor those protections. 🕰️ Facts In 1957, Cleveland police suspected Dollree Mapp of harboring a bombing suspect. Officers demanded entry into her hom...
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Gideon v. Wainwright (IRAC brief)

⚖️ Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) – Landmark Case Brief Court: Supreme Court of the United States Date: March 18, 1963 Citation: 372 U.S. 335 Author of Majority Opinion: Justice Hugo Black ❓ Issue Does the Sixth Amendment’s right to counsel in criminal cases extend to felony defendants in state courts through the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause? 📜 Rule The Sixth Amendment guarantees that “in all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right… to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.” Through the Fourteenth Amendment , fundamental rights such as the right to counsel are incorporated against the states. Prior to Gideon , under Betts v. Brady (1942) , states were not universally required to appoint counsel unless “special circumstances” applied. 🕰️ Facts Clarence Earl Gideon , a drifter in Florida, was accused of breaking and entering a poolroom with intent to commit petty larceny. Lacking money, Gideon asked the Florida trial...
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🎓 Top Undergraduate Degrees for Law School: What Should You Major In?

🏛️ 1. Political Science Why it helps: Political Science is the most common pre-law major because it teaches students how governments function and how laws are created, interpreted, and enforced. You’ll study the judicial, legislative, and executive branches , along with public policy, international relations, and constitutional frameworks. This makes it a near-direct pipeline to the foundational subjects of law school. Students build skills in evaluating power structures, constitutional rights, and judicial decision-making —all crucial for law school’s issue-spotting exams. Courses often mirror first-year law classes (like Constitutional Law and Public Policy Analysis), giving you an early advantage. Political Science also trains you to see law as part of a larger institutional and political process , not just isolated statutes. 📍 Strong Programs: Michigan State University – Political Science: Pre-Law concentration with LSAT prep seminars and courses like American Politics ...
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How do I do an IRAC case brief?

📚 How to Write an IRAC Case Brief Step-by-Step Mastering the IRAC method is a fundamental skill for any law student , paralegal , or legal writer . IRAC — which stands for Issue, Rule, Application (Analysis), and Conclusion — provides a logical framework for breaking down complex legal cases into clear, organized parts. By using IRAC, you can transform a dense court opinion into a digestible summary that captures the essence of the case while sharpening your own legal reasoning. Step 1: Carefully Read the Case 👀 Before you begin writing, read the case thoroughly . Pay close attention not only to the factual background, but also to the procedural history (what happened in the lower courts) and the legal question presented to the court. It often helps to read the case more than once : The first read gives you a general sense of the story. The second (or third) read allows you to highlight key facts, important legal standards, and the ultimate holding . Think of this s...
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Terry v. Ohio Case Brief

  Terry v. Ohio Case Brief (1968) | IRAC Format Case Name: Terry v. Ohio , 392 U.S. 1 (1968) Issue 🔎 Does a police officer's stop and frisk of an individual without a warrant or probable cause violate the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable searches and seizures? Rule 📜 The Fourth Amendment prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures. However, a brief investigative stop ("stop and frisk") is allowed when a police officer has a reasonable suspicion , based on specific and articulable facts, that criminal activity is afoot and that the individual may be armed and dangerous. The frisk must be limited to a pat-down of outer clothing to check for weapons. Analysis 🧠 The Court reasoned that the Fourth Amendment’s protections are not absolute barriers to all police-citizen encounters. A balance must be struck between the individual’s right to personal security and the government's interest in crime prevention and officer safety. In Terry’s case...
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Brown v Board of Education- (IRAC format)

  ⚖️ Brown v. Board of Education , 347 U.S. 483 (1954) — IRAC Brief ❓ Issue Segregation of public education based on race, even if the "tangible" (facilities) are equal, is a violation of the Equal Protection Clause for minority children under the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. 🧑‍⚖️ In earlier cases, including that of Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), such statutes had been upheld on the doctrine of their being ‘separate but equal.’ The question still remained whether this doctrine was true under the Constitution when applied to public education? 📘 Rule The Fourteenth Amendment states that under its Equal Protection Clause, “No State shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” 🕰️ Analysis   in the early  1950s, a number of cases attacking the constitutionality of racial segregation in public schools were filed in different states—Kansas, South Carolina, Virginia, Delaware, and Washington, D.C.—...
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State v. Norman – Case Brief (IRAC Format)

⚖️ Case Brief: State v. Norman (1989) Court : Court of Appeals of North Carolina Date Decided : July 18, 1989 Citation : State v. Norman , 378 S.E.2d 8 (N.C. Ct. App. 1989) Presiding Judge : Justice Arnold ❓ Issue Can a battered woman who kills her abusive husband while he is asleep successfully claim self-defense when there was no immediate threat at the time of the killing? 📘 Rule In North Carolina, a claim of self-defense requires that the defendant: Was not the aggressor; Reasonably believed that deadly force was necessary to prevent imminent death or serious bodily harm ; Used proportional force in response to the threat. 📖 "A killing in self-defense is excused if the defendant had a reasonable belief that death or great bodily harm was imminent." — State v. Clay , 297 N.C. 555 (1979) 🕰️ Facts ✍️ Judy Norman , the defendant, had been subjected to nearly 25 years of extreme and relentless physical, emotional, and psychological abuse by ...
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Sweatt v. Painter – Case Brief (IRAC Format)

⚖️ Sweatt v. Painter , 339 U.S. 629 (1950) – IRAC Brief ❓ Issue Does the State of Texas, by denying Heman Marion Sweatt admission to the University of Texas Law School solely because he was Black, and instead offering him a separate law school for Black students, violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment? 📜 Rule The Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States provides: “No State shall... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” — U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 1 Under this rule, segregation in public education must provide substantially equal educational opportunities . If the separate facilities are not equal in quality, they violate the Constitution. 🔍 Analysis In 1946, Heman Marion Sweatt applied for admission to the University of Texas School of Law, the only public law school in the state at that time. Since it was a matter of course that the institution would return his application automatica...
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Plessy v. Ferguson – Case Brief (IRAC Format)

⚖️ Plessy v. Ferguson , 163 U.S. 537 (1896) — IRAC Brief ❓ Issue Does a state statute which compels racial segregation in railroad cars violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment? 📘 Rule The applicable portion of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is: "1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." “No State shall... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” — U.S. Const. amend. XIV, § 1 Though under substantial change by later case law, this has pretty much long meant to allow...
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Marbury v. Madison – Case Brief (IRAC Format)

⚖️ Case Brief: Marbury v. Madison (1803) Court: Supreme Court of the United States Date: February 24, 1803 Citation: 5 U.S. (1 Cranch) 137 (1803) Chief Justice: John Marshall Decision: Unanimous (4–0) ❓ Issue 🧩 Whether or not the plaintiff, William Marbury, has a right to the writ of mandamus he has demanded and whether or not it be in the power of a court of law to issue such a writ? —Further, whether or no the act to Congress, passed on 24th of Feb., 1789, entitled "An act to establish the judicial courts of the United States," gives the Supreme Court of the United States "original jurisdiction" to issue such writ? 📘 Rule 📜 The Constitution is above all laws. Any law made by Congress—if it does not agree with the Constitution—will not apply. In such cases, the judiciary must see whether or not an act is constitutional and can stand. → Established Judicial Review. 📝 Facts ⏳ John Adams made many Midnight Judges in his last days under the Judiciary Act of 1801, a...
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