Monday, July 25, 2005

There's a fine line between being prepared and freaking yourself out.

And I think that I might have crossed it last night. I have been slowly working my way around Introduction to the Study and Practice of Law in a Nutshell. I tried to read this one in April, but the first two chapters just didn't grab me. I started looking at it again last week and peeked at the table of contents and have just been reading random chapters that sound interesting. It has a fabulous section on study tips and briefing.

So last night, I tried briefing a couple of the example cases that the book provides, and well, it didn't go well. I was just dead wrong on the issue the first case. And then I had the right direction for the issue on the second case, but my issue was way too general. Sigh. This book really emphasizes rewriting the reasoning in your own words. And man, that was pretty tough too. I guess the good news is that I got the operative facts and the holding. But then, that's kind of the easy part isn't it?!? I do have to say that the book is pretty good. I liked their briefing strategy better than anything else that I have read. It seems like a good fit for me. And I liked that they give you a chance to brief a case then give you an example of a good brief for it, so you can check your work. It also tells you how to start asking good questions about the case, hypos etc, so you can understand the issue better.

In any case, when i went to bed, I was filled with insecurities. Should I be able to pick out the issue now? Or is that something that you learn to do in school. Based on how the socratic method works, it seems like I should be able to pick out the issue now, else I would get slaughtered in class.

I'm trying not to get too worried about it for now. I am supposed to receive a packet of info from the law school this week containing my first day's assignment. Our first week is an "intro to law" course. So maybe I'll pick up some of the knowledge that I seem to be lacking then?! Maybe. I hope so. Tonight I am going to read the section on Legal Writing from that same book.

On a lighter side. I met a couple at church yesterday that are both attorneys. She fnished school a year ago and clerks for a state supreme court judge. He just finished school and is clerking for a federal appeals judge. In any case, they told me to make sure to give them my book list and whatever study guides I thought that I might want to buy. And that if they have any of the books or guides, I can just have them. Huzzah!

5 comments:

CM said...

I read that book. I thought the first two sections on reading cases and study tips were the most helpful right now; the later sections will probably come in handy after school starts and we know a little more.

Joey said...

Yeah. I think in the book, the author suggests waiting to read the chapters on Exams. I'm thinking the litigation chapters can probably wait too.

Zuska said...

My goodness ... STOP!!! I didn't do ANY of this book reading and case briefing before I went to law school, and I've done very well! Stop!! You're freaking yourself out unnecessarily.

Enjoy your last few weeks of summer. Do your assignments. Relaaaaxxxxxxx.

Joey said...

You know... over lunch, I was thinking about the top 5 things that I would like to do just because I want to and it's fun... 3 of them are sewing because I love to sew and 2 are just fun things with my DD. And I think that I can do them all in the next three weeks.

A new duvet cover, a new bed skirt and a new quilt for my DD for her "big girl bed."

And if after all of that I have more time, then I'll try to freak myself out some more... but I doubt that I will have the time.

Anonymous said...

Oh my GOD I feel like a slacker again! I'm currently rereading Harry Potter and trying to avoid the various references to the Constitution I keep coming across at work. Mrph.