1. DISTILLING
1.1. LEGAL PROPOSITION
1.1.1. BLACK LETTER
1.1.2. FACTS
1.1.3. RULES & STANDARDS
1.1.4. BAD LAW
1.1.5. THEORY & POLICY
1.2. GOOD DISTILLING
1.2.1. PARAPHRASE
1.2.2. APPLY TO FACTS
1.2.3. WHOLE CATHEDRAL
1.2.4. WHAT TO KEEP
1.3. WHAT CAN'T BE DISTILLED
1.3.1. HORSE SENSE
1.3.2. BEING A CONNOISSEUR OF LAW
2. ISSUE SPOTTING
2.1. RIGHT QUESTIONS
2.1.1. RELEVANCE
2.1.2. INTERPRETATION
2.1.3. APPLICATION
2.2. SENSE OF WHAT MATTERS
2.3. SHORTCUTS
2.3.1. FOCUS ON WHAT CONFUSES YOU
2.3.2. FOCUS ON WHAT'S NEW
2.3.3. FOCUS ON YOUR ASSUMPTIONS
3. ARGUMENT
3.1. LEGAL TEXTS
3.1.1. TEXT ITSELF
3.1.2. INTENT OF THE DRAFTERS
3.1.3. PURPOSE OF THE TEXT
3.1.4. PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION
3.2. PRECEDENTS
3.2.1. DOES THE EARLIER COURT HAVE THE POWER TO BIND YOUR COURT?
3.2.2. WAS THE EARLIER COURT'S STATEMENT A HOLDING OR WAS IT DICTUM?
3.2.3. WAS THE EARLIER CASE RELEVANTLY SIMILAR?
3.3. POLICY
3.3.1. CONSEQUENCES OF A GIVEN RULING
3.3.1.1. INCENTIVES
3.3.1.2. ADMINISTRABILITY OF DOCTRINES
3.3.1.3. INSTITUTIONAL COMPETENCE
3.3.2. ONE OUTCOME OR ANOTHER WOULD BE JUST OR UNJUST
3.4. FACTS
3.4.1. WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE REAL WORLD AFTER THE COURT MAKES ITS DECISION?
3.4.2. HOW FACTS SHOULD BE HANDLED?