Case - O'Lone v. Estate of Shabazz
Questions-
1. What is the name of the case? The name is important because it generally reveals which party is asking the Court to review the case. The name appearing first is usually (but not always) the appellant/petitioner, the party that lost in the court below.
2. In what year did the Supreme Court decide the case? The year is important because it will help to put the case into a legal and historical context.
3. What are the facts in this case? That is, what circumstances triggered the dispute?
4. What statute or action triggered the dispute?
5. What provision of the Constitution is at Issue? Is this a free exercise or an establishment clause case?
6. What is the basic legal question(s) the Court is being asked to address?
7. What were the lower court rulings in this case (federal district court, federal appeals course)?
8. What was the outcome of the dispute?
9. How did the Court majority reach its decision? What was its legal reasoning? Upon what points of law or legal principles was the case decided (freedom of speech? Religious liberty? Child benefit test?)?
10. What other views---concurring opinions, dissenting opinions--were expressed? Summarize briefly the reasoning in major concurrences and dissents. Why is this case/ruling important?
11. What additional information might you want to know about this case? Who brought suit, and why? What interest groups were involved in the case, either as parties to the lawsuit or as amicus curiae (friends of the court)? Who wrote amicus curiae briefs and who signed on to them? Your report will be greatly improved if you can provide background information in this way; it will help us understand the political context of the case.