A Conversation with Elizabeth
1998
Briefs but not Hanes

From:          Elizabeth
To:            mixsonl@acm.org
Date:          3/16/96 4:13pm
Subject:       Briefs but not Hanes
 
Today has been relatively uneventful. I put a lot of time into tasks I don't particularly like to do, writing up the library bills and tying up journals for the bindery, but both had to be done. I'm antsy because I still have cases to brief, but can't do that at work. I worked on one at lunch. I talk of briefing cases, but I didn't really know what that was before law school. Most law suits, except for local level courts, result in written opinions by the judge. I'm sure you've heard of the Supreme Court opinions which are released, but all courts do that. Our school, as do many schools, follows the "case law" method of teaching. That is, we read the published cases and study and learn how the law has been applied or evolved. "Briefing" a case means I have to read it, but then lay out in written form the facts, the issue, the decision, and the rationale for the decision and be always prepared to present it orally in class. The hard part is that you are constantly dealing with many different writing styles. At times I find that interesting. Some judges write with humor, or sarcasm. One case I read last term had so many literary references to Shakespeare, it was unreal. Usually it takes an absolute minimum of 15 minutes to brief a case, and that's minimum, so if, as is typically the case I have 20 briefs in one class, that's four hours straight--and there is no honest way to get around it. A lot of people "brief share," that is they divide the work up. Some teachers have put the fear of God into students about doing that and if they catch on you are reading someone else's work, they will attempt to mortify you in class. By that I mean the prof will start asking really picky, picky questions about the brief to really see if the student read it. Also there are "canned" briefs. There is quite a marked on support materials for law students. Many companies sell books of briefs to match the courses. Those are called "canned" briefs because they are ready for you to use. I don't resort to either of those options, as ultimately the learning is involved in briefing, although sometimes as a trade-off I don't have every single case briefed. Except there are some classes I would absolutely never go into unprepared. Others, one can just say, "I don't have it."
 
Anyway a long on briefs, but I'm always saying I have to do them, so I thought I'd explain. I had to interrupt this in save draft because my boss came in to sign the bills. It absolutely took me forever to get back in. Soon my computer's memory will be upgraded. Perhaps that will help.
 
Sometimes I realize I don't have the foggiest idea how computers make things happen. I have become very good at using what computers will do, and navigating myself around, and if I usually have a glitch or problem, I can iron it out, but beyond that they are black boxes. I have installed software on occasion, etc., but that's about it. I remember once you told me about machine language and how that allows more direct programming. I did read a good book recently about a bunch of young hackers. I forget the title, but I recall how they used to go searching through dipsy dumpsters for scraps of info they could use to hack. And, they had really low grade, primitive by today's standards computers. I'll try and recall the title.
 
I'm glad you got over your sinus stuff. What an annoyance. What would it be like if you weren't taking vitamins, etc. Well, its almost time to go and I need to close up shop. Elizabeth

Briefs but not Hanes, that was great. Her description of her studies, well it sounded like her, she always excelled at knowing and memorizing facts, I learned long ago never to question anything she said, she was always right. She would do well in law school.

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