Author: esquire

Brief Summary of the Case (IRAC Pattern): Issue: The primary issue in United States v. Nixon was whether the President of the United States has an absolute, unqualified privilege to withhold information in the form of taped recordings requested through a subpoena issued in a criminal trial. Rule: The rule of law established by this…

IRAC Summary: Issue: The primary issue in Miranda v. Arizona is whether the Fifth Amendment’s protection against self-incrimination extends to the police interrogation of a suspect in custody and whether the suspect must be informed of their rights before questioning. Rule: The rule established by the U.S. Supreme Court is that the Fifth Amendment requires…

IRAC Summary: Issue: Whether the anonymous tip received by the police, providing detailed information regarding respondents’ alleged illegal drug activity, was sufficient to establish probable cause for the issuance of a search warrant. Rule: The Supreme Court established the “totality of the circumstances” approach for determining whether an informant’s tip establishes probable cause for a…

IRAC Summary of Tennessee v. Garner (1985) Issue: Whether the use of deadly force against an unarmed fleeing suspect who poses no immediate threat to the officer or others is a violation of the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition against unreasonable seizures. Rule: The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits “unreasonable searches and seizures” by…

IRAC Summary: Issue: Whether the prosecutor’s use of peremptory challenges to strike four black persons from the jury pool, resulting in an all-white jury, violated the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments of the United States Constitution. Rule: The Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits the state from excluding jurors based solely on their race.…

IRAC Summary: Brady v. Maryland (1963) Issue: The primary issue is whether the prosecution’s suppression of evidence favorable to the accused, which is material either to guilt or to punishment, violates due process under the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Rule: The rule is that the suppression by the prosecution of evidence favorable to…

Case Summary: International Shoe Co. v. Washington, 326 U.S. 310 (1945) Issue: The key issue in this case is whether the state of Washington has specific jurisdiction over the International Shoe Company for the purpose of imposing a tax for unemployment insurance contributions, even though the company is incorporated in Delaware and headquartered in Missouri.…

IRAC Summary: Issue: The primary issue in landmark cases concerning discovery and e-discovery is to determine the scope and extent of discovery that parties to litigation are obligated to provide, with a particular focus on electronically stored information (ESI). The resolution of these issues often hinges on balancing the need for access to relevant information…

Case Summary (IRAC Brief) Issue: The central legal issue in class action and complex litigation cases typically revolves around whether a large group of individuals (a class) who have suffered similar harm or injuries due to the actions of the defendant(s) can have their claims resolved collectively as a class action, rather than through individual…

IRAC Summary Issue: Does the court have personal jurisdiction over the defendant in the given circumstance? Rule: Personal jurisdiction refers to the court’s power to bring a person into its adjudicative process; jurisdiction is typically established based on the defendant’s physical presence within the state, domicile, consent, or minimum contacts with the forum state that…

IRAC Summary Issue: The main issue in Shaffer v. Heitner is whether the Delaware courts can exercise jurisdiction over nonresident defendants based on the mere presence of the defendants’ property in the state, even when the property is unrelated to the plaintiff’s cause of action. Rule: The Supreme Court held that the due process clause…

Summary of the Case (IRAC Pattern): Issue: The main issue in McCarty v. Pheasant Run, Inc. is whether Pheasant Run, Inc., the defendant, is liable for the injuries sustained by the plaintiff, McCarty, when she was attacked by an unknown assailant while a guest at the resort owned by the defendant. Specifically, the case examines…

IRAC Summary Issue: The primary legal issue in Byrne v. Boadle (1863) is whether the defendant can be held liable for the plaintiff’s injuries under the doctrine of negligence, despite the lack of direct evidence of negligence, by applying the principle of res ipsa loquitur. Rule: Res ipsa loquitur is a doctrine that allows a…

IRAC Summary: Issue: The issue in Rowland v. Christian is whether a possessor of land is liable to a non-social guest for injuries caused by a defective condition on the premises. Rule: The court abolished the traditional distinctions between invitees, licensees, and trespassers in determining the duty of care owed by a possessor of land.…

IRAC Summary: Issue: The issue in United States v. Carroll Towing Co. is whether the barge owner or the tugboat company is liable for the loss of cargo when the barge broke free from its moorings and sank. Rule: The court established the “Learned Hand formula,” which assesses liability based on a calculus of negligence.…

Case: Christie v. Elliott (1910) IRAC Summary: Issue: The primary legal issue in Christie v. Elliott is whether a landlord (Christie) can be held liable for personal injuries suffered by a child (Elliott) due to a dangerous condition on the rental property, which was known to the landlord but not repaired. Rule: The rule of…

Case: UCC 2-207 (Uniform Commercial Code, Section 2-207) IRAC Summary: Issue: The issue in UCC 2-207 centers around the “battle of the forms,” which occurs when two parties to a contract exchange forms (such as purchase orders and invoices) with varying terms, and it must be determined which terms govern the contract between them. Rule:…

IRAC Summary: Issue: The central issue in Jacob & Youngs v. Kent revolves around whether a minor deviation from contract specifications, specifically the use of a different brand of pipe than the one specified, entitles the homeowner to damages or requires the contractor to replace the pipes, despite the substantial completion of the home and…

IRAC Summary: Issue: The issue in Lefkowitz v. Great Minneapolis Surplus Store is whether an advertisement published by the defendant, offering to sell fur coats worth $100 for $1 each to the first persons who come into the store, constitutes a valid, enforceable offer that can be accepted, thereby creating a contract. Rule: An advertisement…

IRAC Summary: Issue: The main issue in Sullivan v. O’Connor is whether a patient can recover damages from a physician for breach of contract and negligence resulting in a failure to deliver the promised result of a cosmetic surgery operation, and the extent of damages available for the breach of promise in causing emotional distress.…