Appellate Brief Assignment

Research and Writing: Brief Assignment

$1$

$0$

$0$

$$points

PLEASE DRAFT YOUR ANSWERS IN A WORD PROCESSING PROGRAM AND SAVE IT TO YOUR COMPUTER.

Submit your Answers in an Attachment.

Assignment:

Research and draft a basic appellate brief for your client based on the facts provided in the Appellate Brief Scenario below.

Goals:

The purpose of an appellate brief is to persuade the court to rule for your client. The goal of your brief for class purposes will be to make the most persuasive argument available for your client.

Your goal for the assignment is to demonstrate your ability to identify and phrase the legal issues; to research, correctly cite, and fully apply related legal authority; and to present your written arguments clearly, concisely, and professionally.

Requirements:

Using your Westlaw subscription, research and correctly identify the legal issue or issues involved. Locate, correctly cite, and thoroughly apply the following:

$1$

$.$

$$ At least one source of primary legal authority from your state.

$2$

$.$

$$ At least one court opinion that would be mandatory authority for the court to which you

$$

re appealing; this may or may not be the same source meeting the requirement in No

$.$

$1$

$$above$.$

$3$

$.$

$$ At least one source of persuasive authority; this may be secondary or primary, but not mandatory.

Structure and Format:

Court rules typically set forth the structure and formatting requirements for an appellate brief, and vary by jurisdiction. For class purposes,

$1$

$2$

$$point font,

$1$

$$

$$margins$,$ and

$1$

$.$

$5$

$$or double spaced line spacing is required for all text other than direct quotes, which should be kept to a minimum. Section headings should be centered and consistent throughout the document.

Please refer to the

$$

Simplified Brief Copy

$$

$$in the Sample Documents folder under Handouts on the course main page, and contact your instructor if you have any questions on the content, structure, or purpose for each required section.

$$Appellate Brief Scenario:

Your client, Ms

$.$

$$Kimberly Hall, stands convicted under your state law for charges involving theft, trafficking in stolen property, fraud, and alteration of vehicle identification numbers. Hall runs a small salvage yard on a

$3$

$.$

$5$

$$acre piece of property surrounded by several fences, tall trees, dense scrub bushes, and posted No Trespassing signs. The property contains

$2$

$$structures: a small one

$-$

room cabin, in which Hall resides, and a separate structure, approximately

$3$

$0$

$$feet high, with sliding barn doors on all four sides, no windows, and no roof.

Early on the day of Hall

$$

s arrest, state and local authorities conducted a drone

$-$

surveillance sweep after an anonymous tip line received several calls reporting the operation of multiple automotive chop shops in a rural loca

H