CRJ 550
Legal Issues in Criminal Justice Administration
Case Brief Guidelines
1. Students will brief all assigned cases for the module in which they are assigned. The case briefs are to be the student’s own work. The learning process takes place with the student reading, analyzing, and summarizing the facts and issues in a case; copying someone else’s work is not part of the learning process. However, students may consult with each other, discuss cases, and use the product of those discussions to write their briefs.
2. Your classmates will depend on you to write a thorough, accurate brief of the case(s) assigned. You, in turn, will rely on your classmates to do the same for their cases.
3. A copy of your brief will be posted in the appropriate module’s Case Brief Discussion board.
4. Be prepared to explain, justify, or dissent from your assigned case, as the instructor and/or classmates may query you about the case.
5. Case briefs will be written in the following format (mandatory):
a. Title and Citation (e.g. Jones v. Smith, 123 F.3d 456 (11th Cir. 2004))
b. Type of Action (e.g. civil suit for money damages for violation of free speech rights under the First Amendment.)
c. Facts of the Case (Discuss relevant facts; what happened? Why is this matter in court?)
d. Contentions of the Parties (What are the best arguments favoring each party?)
· Smith argues that:
· Jones argues that:
e. Issue(s) (The issue relevant to the subjects studied in the module in which it is assigned, e.g. Were Jones’ rights under the First Amendment violated when he was fired for speaking at a political rally?)
f. Decision (How did the court rule on that issue?)
g. Reasoning (Why did the court rule the way it did? This is the most important part of the case.)
h. Rule of Law (What one legal point do we take from this case?)
6. Length: Should not exceed 2 pages.
7. Do not post a brief without checking your spelling and grammar. You will lose points for errors.
8. Important Point: Each time you brief a case, remember why the case is selected at this point in the course. Some cases address multiple issues. You do not need to discuss all of the issues. Focus on the point of law where the case is assigned in the course.
9. Case briefs grades are weighted as follows (total 4 points):
a. Summary of facts: 1 point
b. Format: 1 point
c. Clarity of writing: 1 point
d. Understanding of the court’s decision: 1 point
Assigned Cases
Module One:
Reasonable suspicion 4th Amendment:
1. U.S. v. Arvizu, 534 U.S. 266 (2001)
5th Amendment after Miranda:
2. Edwards v. Arizona, 451 U.S. 477 (1981)
Right to counsel:
3. United States v. Henry, 447 U.S. 264 (1980)
Vague or overbroad:
4. Parker v. Levy, 417 U.S. 733 (1974)
Off-duty conduct and discipline:
5. Oddsen v. Board of Fire & Police Comm., 321 N.W. 2d 161 (Wis. 1982)
Module Two:
Due Process – Substantive and Procedural:
1. Muncy v. City of Dallas, 335 F.3d 394 (5th Cir.2003)
2. Silva v. Bieluch, 351 F.3d 1045 (11th Cir. 2003)
Liberty Interest and Equal Protection:
3. Zalewska v. County of Sullivan, 316 F.3d 314 (2d Cir. 2003)
Due Process – Procedural:
4. Gilbert v. Homar, 117 S.Ct. 1807 (1997)
5. Dixon v. City of New Richmond, 334 F.3d 691 (7th Cir. 2003)
Liberty Claims:
6. Cannon v. City of West Palm Beach, 250 F.3d 1299 (11th Cir. 2001)
Equal Protection:
7. Williams v. Hansen, 326 F.3d 569 (4th Cir. 2003)
Right of Privacy:
8. Shahar v. Bowers, 114 F.3d 1097 (11th Cir. 1997)
Freedom of Association:
9. Parks v. City of Warner Robbins, 43 F.3d 609 (11th Cir. 1995)
10. Tindle v. Caudell, 56 F.3d 966 (8th Cir. 1995)
11. Ross v. Clayton County, 173 F.3d 1305 (11th Cir. 1999)
Freedom of Religion:
12. Endres v. Indiana State Police, 334 F.3d 618 (7th Cir. 2003)
13. Ryan v. U.S. Department of Justice, 950 F.2d 458 (7th Cir. 1991)
Module Three:
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – Supreme Court:
1. Toyota Motor Co. v. Williams, 122 S. Ct. 681 (2002)
2. U.S. Airways v. Barnett, 122 S. Ct. 1516 (2002)
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – Hiring Under the ADA:
3. Holiday v. City of Chattanooga, 206 F.3d 637 (6th Cir. 2000)
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – Reasonable Accommodation:
4. Holbrook v. City of Alpharetta, 112 F.3d 1522 (11th Cir. 1997)
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – Discipline:
5. Aldrup v. Caldera, 274 F.3d 282 (5th Cir. 2001)
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA):
6. Phelan v. City of Chicago, 347 F.3d 679 (7th Cir. 2003)
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – Racial Discrimination:
7. Grutter v. Bollinger, 123 S. Ct. 2325 (June 2003)
8. Williams v. Consolidated City of Jacksonville, 341 F.3d 1261 (11th Cir. 2003)
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – Religious Discrimination:
9. Mandell v. County of Suffolk, 316 F.3d 368 (2003)
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – Fair Labors Standards Act:
10. Houston Police Officers Union v. Houston, 330 F.3d 298 (5th Cir. 2003)
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – Pregnancy Discrimination Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 2000e(k)):
11. Adams v. Nolan, 962 F.2d 791 (8th Cir. 1992)
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA):
12. Terry v. Ashcroft, 336 F.3d 128 (2d Cir. 2003)
13. Smith v. City of Jackson, 125 S. Ct. 1536 (2005)
Module Four:
Sexual harassment:
1. Burlington Northern Railway v. White, 126 S.Ct. 2405 (2006)
2. Meritor Bank v. Vinson, 106 S. Ct. 2399 (1986)
3. Johnson v. Rice, 237 F. Supp.2d 1330 (M.D.FL 2002)
4. Faragher v. City of Boca Raton, 524 U.S. 775 (1998)
5. Burlington Industries v. Ellerth, 118 S. Ct. 2257 (1998)
6. Oncale v. Sundowner Offshore Services, Inc., 118 S. Ct. 998 (1998)
7. Gonzales v. New York Department of Corrections, 122 F. Supp. 2d. 335 (N.D.N.Y. 2000)
8. Pennsylvania State Police v. Suders, 542 U.S. 129 (2004)
9. Thomas v. Galveston County, 953 F. Supp. 504 (S.D. Tex. 1997)
10. Smith v. City of Chattanooga, WL 4374039 (4th Cir. 2008)
11. McCurdy v. Arkansas State Police, 375 F. 3 762 (8th Cir. 2004)
12. Wright v. Rolette County, 417 F. 3d 879 (8th Cir. 2005)
Module Five:
Compelled interviews:
1. Garrity v. State of New Jersey, 87 S. Ct. 616 (1967)
2. Gardner v. Broderick, 88 S. Ct. 1913 (1968)
3. (a) Kastigar v. United States, 92 S.Ct. 1653 (1972)
3. (b) In re Grand Jury Subpoena, 75 F.3d 446 (9th Cir. 1996)
3. (c) Grand Jury Subpoena v. United States, 40 F.3d 1096 (10th Cir. 1994)
4. Dept. of Justice v. FLRA, 975 F.2d 218 (5th Cir. 1992)
