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Is it dumb to just read online briefs for cases I am assigned instead of reading each one. It is a pain in the ass really to read each and every case. I wanted to know if this was a good idea and I could still do well by doing this. Ie, top 10%. Did anyoone just do this.

Reading cases is the fun part of law school (at least, on the academic side).

RP1983 wrote:Is it dumb to just read online briefs for cases I am assigned instead of reading each one. It is a pain in the ass really to read each and every case. I wanted to know if this was a good idea and I could still do well by doing this. Ie, top 10%. Did anyoone just do this.

you can't be serious.

wpc1532 wrote:

RP1983 wrote:Is it dumb to just read online briefs for cases I am assigned instead of reading each one. It is a pain in the ass really to read each and every case. I wanted to know if this was a good idea and I could still do well by doing this. Ie, top 10%. Did anyoone just do this.

you can't be serious.

I am being serious. I mean, does everyone do it and I am just being naive, or is it really just a dumb idea.

Both, but reading cases is extremely interesting and the best part of law school. I was always disappointed when the class talked about cases I had not read. It's like you're missing out on some inside joke.

naw dog reading cases f that

A'nold wrote:Both, but reading cases is extremely interesting and the best part of law school. I was always disappointed when the class talked about cases I had not read. It's like you're missing out on some inside joke.

PhantaManta wrote:Reading cases is the fun part of law school (at least, on the academic side).

Quotes like this make me think that I'll fit in really well in law school and that I'm making the right decision by planning to leave my job in a year.

Then I remember that I can read all the cases I want right now and be happy as a clam without spending $60k/year.

But ultimately I remember that I love softball. Law school it is!

i too enjoy reading cases and I would imagine not reading them will pose a disadvantage--today I read a few cases on whether or not certain criminal statutes were constitutional because of their supposed vagueness and I was blown away by some of the holes the supreme court poked into the statutes. I never would have thought of any of that, but I feel like reading cases and seeing that kind of stuff helps you develop your own nit picking skills, if that makes any sense.

I think the facts of the case alone are not very important at all--whats important is a) seeing how that case fits into what youre learning about in class and b) seeing how rules are applied to those facts and the logical building blocks behind certain holdings.

Flame.

I do enjoy reading cases when the fact patterns are interesting

OP, I understand where you're coming from when it's 11pm at night and you have one case left to read before going to bed.


So my answer: Read all the cases FIRST. Assuming you’re a 1L nub like I am, extract all the nitty gritty details you’d find in a usual case for the first couple of weeks like relevant facts, issues, rationale, etc. Read the case briefs AFTER. In a couple of days, I'm going to start tweaking around with the LEEWS briefing method using my assigned cases and see whether I can save time and extract all the important stuff. I think you should do the same too.

Speaking of which, I guess it’s no longer nerdy for me to admit that I find my cases interesting. However, what I DON’T find interesting is the theoretical material my K prof assigns us. I’m more of a concrete guy, but I still read it all knowing it’s giving me a foundation for understanding why some judges seem to favor one theory over another when it comes time to award damages for breach of contract.

No offense, but I love hearing 1L's talk during the first couple weeks of school.

A'nold wrote:No offense, but I love hearing 1L's talk during the first couple weeks of school.

Are you talking about me?

RP1983 wrote:Is it dumb to just read online briefs for cases I am assigned instead of reading each one. It is a pain in the ass really to read each and every case. I wanted to know if this was a good idea and I could still do well by doing this. Ie, top 10%. Did anyoone just do this.

You're spending how much to just wing it?

RP1983 wrote:Is it dumb to just read online briefs for cases I am assigned instead of reading each one. It is a pain in the ass really to read each and every case. I wanted to know if this was a good idea and I could still do well by doing this. Ie, top 10%. Did anyoone just do this.

Yes, that's a fantastic idea - that's exactly what everyone does, and you should do it too.

0Ls reading, any of you who end up in the same section as me next year should heed this advice.

RP1983 wrote:Is it dumb to just read online briefs for cases I am assigned instead of reading each one. It is a pain in the ass really to read each and every case. I wanted to know if this was a good idea and I could still do well by doing this. Ie, top 10%. Did anyoone just do this.

Just my two cents, but yes, it is dumb not to learn to read cases quickly and efficiently because this is a necessary skill you will need in practice (I spent the majority of my time at my firm this past summer reading cases, but trust me, after a few years you get much faster). It will definitely be painful and seem like a waste of time at first - I definitely remember thinking this 1L year - but worth it in the long run!

TTH wrote:Flame.

I do enjoy reading cases when the fact patterns are interesting

your tar disgusts me

OP: reading the cases I would say adds value by providing context to the laws that you're learning. Knowing them may not be beneficial on exam day but it will help you synthesize the reasoning surrounding the precedents set more clearly, so indirectly it is more beneficial on exam day. Lots of advice on this site recommends not wasting time tediously briefing the cases, but none of the advice on this site recommends not reading them.

Plus, reading the cases is kinda fun, the way working out is kinda fun. It's the feeling of working your cerebral muscles that is rewarding.

Maybe you should wait until week 2 before you decide to cut corners.

NayBoer wrote:Maybe you should wait until week 2 before you decide to cut corners.

This. At least you should learn how to brief cases first before you decide to ditch it.

Fresh wrote:

TTH wrote:Flame.

I do enjoy reading cases when the fact patterns are interesting

your tar disgusts me

Well, there's no accounting for taste.

I enjoyed Hamdi v Rumsfeld pretty thoroughly for Civ Pro.... though not sure I got the details ironed out enough to survive my prof today >< (she's a ballbuster for detail)

Checked out Glannon's Torts E&E today for the first time. Lives up to the hype. Very happy with it.

RP1983 wrote:

wpc1532 wrote:

RP1983 wrote:Is it dumb to just read online briefs for cases I am assigned instead of reading each one. It is a pain in the ass really to read each and every case. I wanted to know if this was a good idea and I could still do well by doing this. Ie, top 10%. Did anyoone just do this.

you can't be serious.

I am being serious. I mean, does everyone do it and I am just being naive, or is it really just a dumb idea.

I can't believe everyone's acidic reaction. I always read the online briefs first. OP, the trouble you'd run into is whether or not the professor would ask for specific details. The briefs, rightfully so, focus more on the general themes and concepts of the case. Which is actually why it can be useful. However, if you professor asks you a specifically detail you might only get from reading the facts, you might be unable to answer.

And honestly, most case books abridge cases anyways. So you might end up reading a different presentation of the facts.

But no, I more often than not relied on case brief from West Law or even Wikipedia other than the books itself. I used the book more as a supplement for when I couldn't 1) understand a complex question or 2) wanted to answer a knowledge gap in the statement of facts.

skoobily doobily wrote:OP: reading the cases I would say adds value by providing context to the laws that you're learning. Knowing them may not be beneficial on exam day but it will help you synthesize the reasoning surrounding the precedents set more clearly, so indirectly it is more beneficial on exam day. Lots of advice on this site recommends not wasting time tediously briefing the cases, but none of the advice on this site recommends not reading them.

Plus, reading the cases is kinda fun, the way working out is kinda fun. It's the feeling of working your cerebral muscles that is rewarding.

One of the big big mistakes many 0Ls make is focusing too much on the details. The facts don't matter that much. Not really. They're only useful for grasping the underlying concepts. If you can go right to concept... why not.

I actually did rely very heavily on online case briefs; instead of reading the casebook, I preferred to spend (a lot of) time reading hornbooks/supplements (i.e., something like this author suggests: http://www.top-law-schools.com/success- ... chool.html). Top 5% @ T20.