CHAPTER 3

The Doctrine of Precedent and a Contract Case Analysis

§3.1 STUDYING CONTRACT LAW THROUGH APPELLATE CASES

This chapter is primarily concerned with case analysis and the doctrine of precedent. Because the analysis of cases is so central to the study of contract law, it is worth spending some time at the outset on the techniques and principles of reading, understanding, and applying caselaw. It is likely that you will receive instruction on this skill in your legal writing and research class, and you will also begin to develop it as you proceed through your contracts course and other substantive law courses. This chapter, which ends with an Example based on a fictional court opinion in a contract dispute, should help you to gain some early insight into the process of working with caselaw.

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