The role of an appellate judge

    Take on the role of an appellate judge and write your own opinion explaining your views as to how the law applies in this case Introduction: One paragraph identifying the main parties to the case and summarizing the claims and legal question. 2. Background: One or two paragraphs explaining the case facts as they are relevant to your case. You should not copy verbatim from the hypothetical document because (1) that is plagiarism (yes, seriously) and (2) you want to emphasize the facts that bolster your opinion and deemphasize the facts that undermine your opinion. Framing the background is an important step in the opinion. 3. Preview of Outcome: One paragraph briefly summarizing your ruling. 4. Explanation of your legal analysis: This should be the bulk of the paper (3-4 pages) and can be formatted in a variety of ways. You’ll want to clearly identify any applicable legal rules, the government interest at stake, whether the policy/action in question supports that interest. You’ll need to cite the relevant cases and precedents that factor into your analysis.