Part of studying law is learning how to digest cases.

If you are a first

year student the idea is totally new. You could be surprised of the
number of cases that each professor will assign to you. Now, you are in
panic of what you should do.

Here are a few tips on how to digest cases:

- 1. You must have knowledge on what are the parts of a digested

case, that is the facts, issues and ruling.

- 2. Before determining what constitutes the facts, issues and

ruling of a case, you must consider what subject you are asked to
digest. If your constitutional law professor asks you to digest cases,
you must focus on the subject that concerns constitutional law only
and no other law subjects.

- 3. The contents of the facts must be brief and concise. Your

digest must be limited to the main facts of the case which of course
should focus on the particular subject assigned say for instance
constitutional law as above indicated.

- 4. The issue must have some bearing on the facts above written.
There must be a connection between the facts you presented and the
issues that must be resolved.

- 5. And the ruling must be based on the facts and issues above-
mentioned. In making the ruling, you must concentrate on how the
Supreme Court decided on the facts in question. It is advisable that
your digest shows that you understand what the case is all about and
that you can elaborate more on the rulings given by the Supreme
Court as long as it is within the decision of the case.