Evaluating case law is really important when doing legal research. It helps you understand court decisions. Here’s how I do it:

1. Know the Court Levels:

• First, figure out which court made the decision. Typically, decisions from higher courts (like Supreme Courts) are more important than those from lower courts. For example, if you’re looking into constitutional law, a decision from the Supreme Court is far more relevant than one from a district court.

2. Look at Citations:

• Check how often a case has been mentioned in other cases or legal writings. If a case has a lot of citations, it usually means it’s important in the area of law you’re studying. You can use legal databases like Westlaw or LexisNexis to find this information.

3. Check the Facts and Legal Questions:

• Focus on the key facts and legal issues the court looked at. Ask yourself: Does this case answer my research question? For example, if you’re studying breach of contract, a case about employment contracts could be helpful, but a case about tort law might not relate at all.

4. Look at the Reasoning:

• How the court explains its decision is really important. A case with clear and thoughtful reasoning is usually more useful than one that isn’t explained well. It’s also good to read any concurring (agreeing) or dissenting (disagreeing) opinions since they can give extra insight into the legal issues.

5. Check What Happened Next:

• See how other cases have treated the case you’re looking at. If higher courts have kept, changed, or thrown out the decision, that can change how important it is. Search for notes or commentaries that discuss its impact.

6. Think About the Current Law:

• Lastly, consider how this case fits with today’s laws and any recent changes that might affect its meaning.

Using these steps can really help you figure out which cases are important and relevant for your legal research.