Facts of the case

Summarize the events/facts which contributed to the original case. For example, if the case involved an assault, describe the events that led up to and followed the assault in as much detail as possible using available resources. Ensure that the original decision (from the lowest court and/or appellate courts, as appropriate) for the case is/are clearly stated. For Supreme Court cases, briefs can be accessed at SupremeCourt.gov. State Supreme Court cases are often available on state court websites. Case materials for opinions at all court levels can be accessed through LexisNexis or Westlaw (available through the UHD library online database). Additional materials may be used as well.

Arguments

Summarize the arguments for the plaintiff/prosecution and respondent/defendant. Include, to the greatest extent possible, original and appellate arguments. Be inclusive but brief. These arguments can be found in court briefs submitted by each party. Hint: for each case, justices are required to submit concurrent and dissenting opinions.

Holdings

Summarize the holdings (i.e., final decisions) of courts at each level through which the case progressed. Where opinions differ, indicate the reasons for the change in decisions.

APA amicus brief summary

Summarize the research and arguments which served as the basis of the APA amicus brief. APA amicus briefs are accessible at www.apa.org (About APA—Directorates and Programs—Office of General Counsel). Do not simply regurgitate this document. It is not necessary to include every study or example, but do summarize the main points.

Your opinion

Provide your opinion of the arguments (including those presented in the APA brief) and holdings in the case. If you were a judge, would you have decided differently? Why? Cite empirical research studies supporting your idea. In the instance of older decisions, has new research emerged that might have changed the original arguments? Can you think of any additional areas of research which might be conducted in the future to further inform the issue at hand? You must demonstrate that you have critically reflected on the arguments and integrated the results of social science research into your opinions. These are seminal cases in the field of psych and law. Why were they so important that they made it all the way to the Supreme Court and had to be decided by the greatest legal minds in our nation?

Citing

Ensure that all material which is not your original product is cited appropriately using the style guidelines of the American Psychological Association Style Guide 6th edition. Ensure that all in-text citations are included in the reference section and vice versa. For questions regarding APA style, see the reference librarian at W.I. Dykes Library. You are only responsible for following in-text and reference list citing guidelines and are not required to follow other APA formatting guidelines (i.e., page, title heading, etc.).