It is important to be exposed
to court cases and associated documents so you can learn how to identify
relevant information. This assignment will help you become familiar with the
layout of court documents as you search for information in a U.S. Supreme Court
case of your choosing. Use the internet to help you locate information about
your selected U.S. Supreme Court case.
In Week 1, you were preparing
for a job interview for a paralegal position at a law firm. Now you have been
hired and one of your first tasks is to review a U.S. Supreme Court case and
provide a summary to the firm’s lawyers who will be referencing the case as
they prepare for another trial.
Select a CRIMINAL
law case (i.e. should have an underlying criminal offense where someone was charged with a crime by the state or federal government) from the Opinions of the
Court page of the U.S. Supreme Court website.
Write a 700-word
summary in which you address the following:
Summarize the case.
Who were the main
parties in the case?
What were the charges?
What defense was used?
What was the decision
Identify the functions and effects of criminal law in
modern society reflected in the case you selected.
What function did the
law serve in the case?
What effect did the
law have in the case?