Northern Essex Community College
Module 5 Writing Assignment
Review the assignment overview, learning objectives, directions, and submission expectations before submitting your work.
Overview
Establishing criminal liability requires more than showing that a defendant’s actions were connected to a harmful result. Courts must determine whether the defendant’s conduct was the factual cause of the harm and whether legal causation exists. This analysis often involves evaluating intervening or superseding causes, intent, and whether the criminal act can fairly be linked to the outcome.
In this assignment, you will compose a complete case brief using the IRAC model, with specific attention given to the Analysis and Conclusion sections. You will also identify the primary causation or intent-related concept addressed in your assigned case, such as intervening superseding cause, legal causation, factual cause, or inference of intent. This activity strengthens your ability to analyze how courts limit or extend criminal responsibility through causation principles and structured legal reasoning.
Student Learning Objectives
(These objectives support the assignment and are not the questions to be answered.)
- LO1: Analyze a criminal case involving causation or intent by applying the IRAC model. (SLO4)
- LO2: Explain how courts evaluate factual cause, legal causation, and intervening events when determining criminal liability. (SLO2)
Assignment Topic
Using the IRAC Method compose a complete course brief. Specific attention will be given to the Analysis and Conclusion sections of your Case Brief. Please review the below directions.
In addition, please identify which of your cases focused one of the following:
- Intervening Superseding Cause
- Legal Causatio
- Factual Cause
- Knowingly
- Inference of General Intent
- The Test of Intent
- Criminal Act
Group Assignments by Last Name:
- Group 1: A – C Case: Commonwealth v. Ely (2011)
- Group 2: D – M Case: Summers v. Tice (1948)
- Group 3: N – P Case: Watson v. Ky. & Ind. Bridge & Ry Co (1910)
- Group 4: Q – Z Case: People v. Luna (2010)
Acceptable and Ethical Use of AI
- Use AI to review the legal definitions of factual cause, legal causation, and intervening or superseding causes to support your understanding before briefing your assigned case.
- Use AI to outline how causation and intent are analyzed within an IRAC framework, without using AI to generate the Analysis or Conclusion sections of your case brief.
Directions
Please read all instructions carefully before submitting your assignment.
- Complete ALL sections of the IRAC case brief.- creativity is NOT encouraged. Please follow the IRAC model completely, including Facts, Procedural History, Issue, Rule, Application & Analysis, Conclusion, & the Module Legal Concept.
- Ensure that you have cited the correct legal concept for this Module.
- Use complete sentences and proper grammar.
- Submit your work as a Word document or PDF.
- APA citations are required when referencing outside sources.
- A reference page is only required if outside sources are used.
- An abstract is not required.
- Case Briefs that fail to follow the IRAC model will be returned.
Submission Guidelines
- Submit your assignment through the designated submission area.
- Ensure your file is in [accepted format: Word, PDF, etc.].
- Review the grading rubric before submitting your work.
Important Reminder
Important: All work must be your own. Follow course policies regarding academic integrity and the use of outside sources or tools.
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