Using cases

Case law is central to answering many (though not all) legal questions – essays or problem based – and it is essential that you are comfortable with using this source.

A large number of students struggle when using cases in their written work. They are not sure why the case must be used, how to use it, what the case is say¬ing and so on. Because of this confusion, the student’s answer is often made worse by the inclusion of case law.

• Learn how to use cases and become familiar with how they are written and structured.
• Read as many cases as possible and become familiar with law reports.
• See how textbooks and articles use cases and acquire that style and those skills.
• Do not rely on lecture notes when providing an account of the case; read the law report, a casebook or, at the very least, a good account of a case in a textbook.