Take on the role of an appellate judge and write your own
opinion explaining your views as to how the law applies in this case
Introduction: One paragraph identifying the main parties to the case and summarizing the claims and
legal question.
2. Background: One or two paragraphs explaining the case facts as they are relevant to your case. You
should not copy verbatim from the hypothetical document because (1) that is plagiarism (yes,
seriously) and (2) you want to emphasize the facts that bolster your opinion and deemphasize the facts
that undermine your opinion. Framing the background is an important step in the opinion.
3. Preview of Outcome: One paragraph briefly summarizing your ruling.
4. Explanation of your legal analysis: This should be the bulk of the paper (3-4 pages) and can be
formatted in a variety of ways. Youll want to clearly identify any applicable legal rules, the
government interest at stake, whether the policy/action in question supports that interest. Youll need
to cite the relevant cases and precedents that factor into your analysis.
