Legal Research, Writing & Civil Litigation

Assignment: Assignment 1 (based on classes 1 and 2)
For the first assignment, try these short questions involving legal research:
1. Please enter the correct citation for the Supreme Court case of the Brown family who sued the Topeka, Kansas Board of Education, which was decided on
May 17, 1954 and is recorded on page 483 of volume 347 in the United States Reporter.
2. Please list all of the courts whose decisions are binding upon the federal district court for the District of Hawaii.
3. From the following sources of law within our legal system, list them in the order of most binding to least binding (assume all involved laws are valid) and
explain why that order exists.
a. state constitution;
b. federal constitution;
c. state legislation;
d. federal legislation;
4. Please answer both parts of the question, using your state as an example.
i. There is a case that’s not from your state, but it is mandatory authority in your state
– how is that possible? Explain.
ii. There is a case that originated in your state, but it is not mandatory authority in your state – why wouldn’t it be? Explain.