SPEED READING A CASE

(http://www.lawnerds.com/guide/reading.html)

STEP-BY-STEP: READING STRATEGY

Step 1: Pre-read a case.

-> Read the topic sentence of every paragraph.
-> Spend 2 minutes for every 10 pages.
Step 2: Based on pre-reading, choose the most effective strategy to read each paragraph.
-> Skimming
-> Skipping
-> Reading

HOW TO PRE-READ

Step 1: Read the case name (to identify the case)

Step 2: Read the 1st paragraph or two (to understand who the parties are and the issue that brought them to
court)

Step 3: Read the 1st sentence of each paragraph (to get the idea of the structure and general direction of the case)

Step 4: Read the last paragraph or two (to understand the holding and disposition of the case)

FOUR THINGS TO IDENTIFY IN PRE-READING

1. Outcome (by knowing the outcome, you have a ready context for the reasoning)

2. Elements (procedural history, facts, statement of rule, reasoning, holding, etc.)

3. Legal Concepts (when multiple rules coming into play, you pinpoint the most relevant rule ahead of time)

4. Evolution of Reasoning (common law, legislative deliberations, etc.; sometimes superfluous)

STEP 2: SKIPPING, SKIMMING, OR READING A PARAGRAPH

Because of pre-reading, you already know which paragraphs you can skip, skim, or read.

1. Skipping (historical basis of a rule, legal concepts not relevant to the legal concepts discussed, examples of a
principle you already understand)

1. Skimming (basically familiar with the material but need more information than what you got out of the
overview)

3. Reading (try to learn speed-reading; your eyes don’t have to go through each word)