Civil Advocacy Clinic
Guidelines for Initial Case Briefs
Students are required to submit written case briefs for each case assigned to them at the beginning of the semester. Initial case briefs must be turned in to the student’s instructor by the deadline date.
At a minimum, case briefs should include the following basic information:
1. The case name.
2. The name(s) of all parties.
3. The name of the court, if any, in which the case is pending.
4. The case number, if any.
5. The name of the judge.
6. The name and address of opposing counsel, if any.
In addition, case briefs should include:
7. A thorough statement of the facts (what brought about the problem).
8. A thorough statement of the case (where the case stands, procedurally).
9. A concise statement of the issues (what the court has to decide).
10. A complete list of upcoming appointments, deadlines, and court dates.
In addition, case briefs should include an outline of the following action plans:
11. Informal investigation.
12. Formal discovery.
13. Research.
14. Motions.
Finally, case briefs should discuss the settlement potential of the case, with suggestions as to how a settlement might be achieved.