Lexis+ Tip of the Week: Briefs, Pleadings and Motions

17 May, 2023 lmcfrp Job Free Edition, Nationwide, Resources

ASK YOURSELF:

Where can I find resources for my brief or motion?

LEXIS+ TIP: You’ve been asked to draft an appellate brief, but you don’t know where to start or what it should look like. Lucky for you, Lexis houses the largest collection of litigation related documents. This means you don’t have to start from scratch. Find a similar brief, motion, or complaint on Lexis and see how real documents structured the argument or formatted the document!

5 Tips for Writing Your Brief

Stay Organized & Utilize Terms and Connectors Searching
Start With a Secondary Source
Get the Most out of Your Statute – “Go To” Dropdown & Shepards
Use Filed Briefs, Pleadings, and Motions as Templates
Take Advantage of Help Resources on Lexis

LEARN IT [short video]: https://youtu.be/W_hSxQaEtSg

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: You’re looking for a brief from the Supreme Court discussing packaging, label, or warnings for toxic materials and find the BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL, ET AL. IN SUPPORT OF PETITIONERS dated September 13, 2004. In what case was this brief filed?

Hint:

Search: packag! or label! or warn! w/s toxic
Go to Briefs, Pleadings and Motions category in the top-left
Use the filters on the left to narrow the Content / Category Type further to Briefs
Narrow the Court to US Supreme Court [US Sup Ct]
OR- Go directly there: https://plus.lexis.com/api/permalink/622a5bb4-9a96-4c43-af68-1a69c72dfb80/?context=1530671
Open Brief Of Amici Curiae Natural Resources Defense Council, Et Al. In Support Of Petitioners [result #8 at the time this exercise was created]
On the right hand side of the screen, you’ll see that you can access Related Court Materials- such as the opinion for this case, as well as other briefs that were filed in that case.