You’re On the Jury – Discussion
Due 10/21 at Noon
200 Points Total (150 points for initial answer; 50 points for peer response)
This assignment is posted under the Discussions tab. Students will be divided into groups and
you will be assigned to a Discussion Forum based on the first letter(s) of your last name (Jury 1
A-C for example). Each group will be assigned a different legal scenario. Please monitor
Canvas’s Discussion to see which Scenario/Group you have been assigned.
There will be posted in the Discussions a fact scenario that relates to the material in the textbook
to date. A series of questions will be posted with this scenario. Each student who participates in
this discussion can receive up to (150) points for the initial answer and (50) points for a peer
response.
The assignment will be graded based on the assignment rubric. For best results, please structure
your responses in the IRAC format: 1) state the applicable legal ISSUE(S); 2) identify the
applicable RULE(S) / laws; 3) APPLY the facts at bar to those laws; and 4) state a CONCLUSION.
In addition to identifying the applicable law(s), you must always cite your source for the law(s)
by simply providing the page number from the textbook at the end of the sentence cited (not at
the end of your work). No external research or sources of law are necessary. Please only use the
textbook as your source of law. Additional consideration will be given to the number of legal
issues identified and application of the correct law to the facts of the matter.
There must be at least one reference to applicable law from the textbook in both the initial
response AND the peer reply.
Please have a discussion. “Yes” or “No” or “I agree” is not a proper answer nor is it a proper
reply. I’m looking for developed answers that include an analysis of the scenario in relationship
to the content of the laws found in the textbook.
In your Peer Reply, please indicate to whose post you are responding.
The statement, “I agree with you” is an insufficient response. The following is from a student
who posted a long response but really didn’t say anything: “I agree with all of the examples that
you gave. The examples you gave from the book are very good and are substantial. I agree with
your viewpoints as well. I would be in favor of Samantha in this situation as well for the reasons
you had said and other reasons listed in my post. Overall, great post! Keep up the good work!”
What did this student say besides “I agree with you”?
If a student chooses not to participate, no points will be received. Minimal participation will
yield partial points. You may find that some student(s) who posted prior to you may have
covered the points you wanted to cover. Explore the material to see if there isn’t something
additional to add or a new perspective. Perhaps you can explore the “opposition” side. I’m
looking for analysis using the scenario facts and the materials in the text – there is no right or
wrong answer – it’s how you discuss and support your position with cited law that’s critical.
Remember, there are always different ways of looking at things. There is a certain amount of
vagueness in the facts of each scenario to allow for different perspectives.
The assignment scenarios will be found under the Discussion tab. Each student’s
analysis/discussion must also be posted under Discussions. DO NOT prepare your answers as an
attachment. I won’t open it to grade it and I don’t expect another student to open an attachment
from someone they don’t know. Please proofread your work prior to submitting. Spelling and
grammar are a part of the grading and deductions will be taken if there are errors in these areas.
You are required to create a thread and post something before being able to view the other
students’ posts. I have observed that some students attempt to “scam” the forum by posting a
sentence in their assigned forum as their initial answers. That enables them to view the other
posts. Then they will be able to continue their answers having the benefit of seeing what others
have written. Please don’t attempt this. If I believe you’ve done that, you’ll receive points only
for the first post which is generally -0-. I can tell if you’ve done this due to the lapse of time
between your “introduction” post and then the actual answers to the scenario.
If you accidentally click “submit” before you are finished, then email me immediately and tell
me what you’ve done so I can keep that in mind when I grade your initial post.