Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-12-2007
Abstract
Why are appellate briefs boring Does overreliance on structural paradigms like IRAC lead to formulaic and overly legalistic writing The author suggests that by conceiving of briefs as stories and consciously using the elements of narrative character conflict setting theme and plot among others the brief writer can make the clients story come to life for the reader hopefully producing a more interesting and therefore compelling brief The author has written a brief in a mock case Rubin v Old York Department of Social Services and then deconstructs the brief in the article to show how the author intentionally used the elements of narrative to write a compelling brief in a difficult legal setting The brief and the record it is based upon are also available for download on SSRN
Recommended Citation
Chestek, Kenneth D., "The Plot Thickens: The Appellate Brief as Story" (2007). Faculty Articles. 33.
https://scholarship.law.uwyo.edu/faculty_articles/33
First Page
127