Free Template
Case Brief Template for Law School
The FIRAC case brief template is the standard format used in most law schools. It breaks down a judicial opinion into five key sections, helping you identify the critical elements of each case for class preparation and exam review.
When to Use This Template
Use this template when briefing assigned cases for class, building your case brief library for exam preparation, or practicing the case briefing skill during your 1L year. Most professors expect briefs in this format.
Template
CASE BRIEF Case: [Full Case Name], [Volume] [Reporter] [First Page] ([Court] [Year]) FACTS: [Summarize the key facts of the case. Include only legally relevant facts — the facts that the court relied on in reaching its decision. Identify the parties, the nature of the dispute, and the procedural history that brought the case to this court.] ISSUE: [State the legal question the court is deciding. Frame it as a yes/no question that incorporates the relevant legal rule and the key facts. Example: "Whether a manufacturer owes a duty of care to the ultimate consumer when there is no privity of contract."] RULE: [State the legal rule, statute, or principle the court applies to resolve the issue. Include the source of the rule — common law, statute, constitutional provision, or prior case law. If the court articulates a new test or standard, state it precisely.] APPLICATION: [Explain how the court applied the rule to the specific facts of this case. This is the analytical core of the brief. Show the court's reasoning step by step — why the facts satisfy or fail to satisfy each element of the rule.] CONCLUSION: [State the court's holding — the answer to the issue. Include the disposition: affirmed, reversed, remanded, etc. Note any concurrences or dissents and their key arguments if relevant.]