NATIONAL APPELLATE ADVOCACY COMPETITION



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BRIEF SCORE SHEET

|Team: 20 |Judge: |

|Category |Possible |Given |

|1. |Questions Presented |4 | |

|2. |Table of Contents |1 | |

|3. |Table of Authorities |2 | |

|4. |Statement of the Case |8 | |

|5. |Summary of Argument |8 | |

|6. |Overall Appearance and Style |2 | |

|7. |Argument Structure |10 | |

|8. |Issue Recognition |15 | |

|9. |Persuasiveness |20 | |

|10. |Use of Authority |15 | |

|11. |Grammar, Punctuation, and Mechanics |10 | |

|12. |Citations |5 | |

| | | |

|TOTAL |100 | |

Suggested Guidelines

Category 1: Questions Presented (Possible Points - 4)

Do the questions adequately describe the issue before the court?

Are the issues phrased such that the answer naturally favors the party propounding them?

Category 2: Table of Contents (Possible Points - 1)

Are the brief sections in the proper sequence?

Does the brief contain all the necessary parts? The students were not required to include a statement of jurisdiction or standard of review section. No points should be withheld for the failure to include such sections.

Category 3: Table of Authorities (Possible Points - 2)

Is there a sensible arrangement of authorities?

Category 4: Statement of the Case (Possible Points - 8)

Are the essential facts stated in as favorable way as possible without leaving out material facts?

Category 5: Summary of Argument (Possible Points - 8)

Are the arguments developed and persuasive?

Is the summary concise?

Category 6: Overall Appearance and Style (Possible Points - 2)

Evaluate the overall neatness of the typing and physical presentation.

Does the brief look polished from re-drafting?

Category 7: Argument Structure (Possible Points - 10)

Is the structure logical and indicative of the issues?

Are the arguments organized in a clear and persuasive manner?

Do the arguments follow logically, compelling a conclusion in the writer’s favor?

Category 8: Issue Recognition (Possible Points - 15)

Do the arguments include all necessary issues?

Category 9: Persuasiveness (Possible Points - 20)

Are the headings written in a persuasive manner?

Is the argument text written in a persuasive manner?

Category 10: Use of Authority (Possible Points - 15)

Are there citations where needed, regardless of the technical accuracy of the citation form?

Are the leading cases used?

Do the authorities support a sound legal analysis?

Are the cases and authorities used as effectively as possible?

Is there excessive reliance on secondary materials?

Have public policy arguments been developed when appropriate?

Does the brief incorporate the facts of cases where appropriate to analogize or distinguish?

Does the brief substitute quotations for appropriate legal analysis?

Does the brief distinguish cases and important authorities that are unfavorable to its position?

Category 11: Grammar, Punctuation, and Mechanics (Possible Points - 10)

Is the brief clear and unambiguous?

Does the brief use proper grammar and punctuation?

Category 12: Citations (Possible Points – 5)

|Citation Worksheet |

| | | |

|Citations |Frequency of Error |Blue Book Rule |

|Unsupported Propositions |  | |

|Case Law Citation Elements |  |  |

|case name: abbreviation, italics or underlining, |  |10.2, Table 6 |

|spelling of case name | | |

| reporter |  |10.3, Table 1 |

|pinpoint cites |  |10 |

|court of decision |  |10.4, Table 1 |

|date |  |10.5 |

| spacing within citation |  |6.1 |

|Statutory Cites |  | |

|name, code, section, year of code |  |12, Table 1 |

|Secondary Authority |  |  |

|author, title, source, year |  |15; 16 |

|Short Form Citation |  |  |

|case short form: party name, volume, reporter, |  |10.9 |

|pinpoint cite | | |

| statutory short form |  |12.9 |

|secondary sources short form |  |15.8; 16.7 |

|Use of Id. |  |  |

|italics or underline, punctuation, page reference |  |4.1 |

|Use of Parenthetical Explanation |  |10.6 |

|Use of Signals |  |1.2, 1.3 |

|Quotations |  |  |

| block quotes and citation placement, punctuation |  |5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4 |

|with quotation, ellipses | | |

|Other |  |  |

| | | |

| Points to be Awarded (maximum of 5) |  |

|Guidelines for frequent errors |Maximum Point Deduction |

|Repeated use of unsupported assertions of law |2 points |

|Repeated mistakes in case name, spacing, abbreviations |1 point |

|Repeated mistakes in statutory cites |1 point |

|Repeated mistakes in citing to secondary sources |1 point |

|Several instances of improper quotations |1 point |

|Repeated mistakes in short form citations |1 point |

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