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IRAC
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Forotheruses,seeIRAC(disambiguation).
IRAC(pronouncedEYErack)isanacronymthatgenerallystandsfor:Issue,Rule,Application,and
Conclusion.Itfunctionsasamethodologyforlegalanalysis.TheIRACformatismostlyusedin
hypotheticalquestionsinlawschoolandbarexams.

Contents
1SectionsofanIRAC
1.1Issue
1.2Rule
1.3Application
1.4Conclusion
1.5Facts
2Criticism
3AnexampleIRAC
4Variations
5References
6Externallinks

SectionsofanIRAC
Issue
TheIRACcommenceswithastatementoftheissuesorlegalquestionsathand.Intheissuesectionofan
IRACitisimportanttostateexactlywhatthequestionoflawis.Eachissueisoftentreatedseparately.
The"Whether...when"or"Under(law)...does"formatsmaybeofserviceinframingtheissue.

Rule
TheRulesectionofanIRACfollowsthestatementoftheissueathand.TherulesectionofanIRACis
thestatementoftherulespertinentindecidingtheissuestated.Rulesinacommonlawjurisdiction
derivefromcourtcaseprecedentandstatute.Theinformationincludedintherulessectiondepends
heavilyonthespecificityofthequestionathand.Ifthequestionstatesaspecificjurisdictionthenitis
propertoincluderulesspecifictothatjurisdiction.Anotherdistinctionoftenmadeintherulesectionisa
cleardelineationofrulesthatareinholding,andbindingbasedontheauthorityofthehierarchyofthe
court,beingratiodecidendi,andbeingthemajorityruling,orsimplypersuasive.Thereareoccasions
whenrulesareadoptedonthebasistheyaretheonlyclearlyarticulatedrulesontheissue,inspiteof
beingminoritydecisions,obiterdicta,andfromlowercourts,inotherjurisdictions,whichhavenever
beencontradicted.
Theruleshelpmakeacorrectlegalanalysisoftheissueathandusingthefactsofthecase.Therules
sectionneedstobealegalsummaryofalltherulesusedintheanalysisandisoftenwritteninamanner
whichparaphrasesorotherwiseanalyticallycondensesinformationintoapplicablerules.
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Application
TheApplication(orAnalysis)sectionofanIRACappliestherulesdevelopedintherulessectiontothe
specificfactsoftheissueathand.ThissectionusesonlytherulesstatedintherulessectionoftheIRAC
andusuallyutilizesalltherulesstatedincludingexceptionsasisrequiredbytheanalysis.Itisimportant
inthissectiontoapplytherulestothefactsofthecaseandexplainorarguewhyaparticularruleapplies
ordoesnotapplyinthecasepresented.Theapplication/analysissectionisthemostimportantsectionof
anIRACbecauseitdevelopstheanswertotheissueathand.Itisusefultothinklikealawyer,arguing
thefactsofthematterfrombothsideswhilestickingtotherulesbeforecomingtoadecision.

Conclusion
...orsimplymakingitaclosecallandidentifyingwhetheritisdecidedbythetribunaloffactorisa
matteroflawtobedecidedbythejudge.TheConclusionsectionofanIRACdirectlyanswersthe
questionpresentedintheissuesectionoftheIRAC.ItisimportantforthemethodologyoftheIRACthat
theconclusionsectionoftheIRACnotintroduceanynewrulesoranalysis.Thissectionrestatesthe
issueandprovidesthefinalanswer.

Facts
ThefactsofacasearecentraltoeverystepintheIRAC.Itisfromthefactsthattheissuesareidentified.
Itisthefactsthatleadtotheidentificationofthemostappropriaterules,andtheruleswhichleadtothe
mostusefulwayofconstruingthefacts.Analysisrequirestheinterpretationoffactsandrules.The
conclusionisadecisionbasedontheapplicationoftherulestothefactsforeachissue.

Criticism
IRAChasmanyproponentsandopponents.ThemainargumentsoftheproponentsoftheIRAC
methodologysayitreduceslegalreasoningtotheapplicationofaformulathathelpsorganizethelegal
analysis.Sinceanorganizedlegalanalysisiseasiertofollowandreduceserrorsinreasoning,therefore,
theproponentsarguethattheIRACisaveryusefultool.TheopponentsoftheIRACfallintotwo
categories.
ThefirstcategoryarethosewhoobjecttousinganIRACbecauseofitsstrictandunwieldyformat.Most
ofthesecriticsofferanalternativeversionoftheIRACsuchasMIRAT,IDAR,CREAC,TREACC,
CRuPAC,ISAACandILAC.EachnewiterationissupposedtocurethedefectsoftheIRACandoffer
moreorlessfreedomdependingupontheformat.Averygoodexampleofsuchanalternativeformatis
theCREACwhichissaidtooffermoreclarityandcongruity.Theyarguethisbasedupontherepetition
oftheconclusioninthebeginningandtheendwhichissaidtoleavenodoubtastothefinalanswerand
offercongruitytotheoverallreasoning.Italsohasanexplanationoftherulessectionwhichhelps
delineaterulesintostatingtherulesandexplainingtherulesforfurtherclarity.
ThesecondcategoryofcriticsoftheIRACsaythatittendstoleadtooverwriting,andoversimplifying
thecomplexityofproperlegalanalysis.Thisgroupbelievesthatagoodlegalanalysisconsistsofa
thoughtful,careful,wellresearchedessaythatiswritteninaformatmostamiabletothewriter.The
importanceofanopenformatamiabletothewriterissupposedtoletthelegalreasonersconcentrateon
expressingtheirargumenttothebestoftheirabilitiesinsteadofconcentratingonadheringtoastrict
formatthatreducesthisfocus.

AnexampleIRAC
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AgenericIRAConalawschoolexamwouldconsistofananswertoaquestion.Thefollowingexample
demonstratesagenericIRACasananswertoaquestion.
Person"A"walksintoagrocerystoreandpicksupaloafofbread.Hethenstuffsthebreadbeneathhis
jacket.Asecurityattendantseeshimandfollowshimtothecashregister.PersonApassesthrough
withoutstoppingtopayforanything.Thesecurityattendantstopshimatthegate.HedetainspersonA
whileheinterrogateshim.PersonAisunresponsiveanduncooperativeandinfactdownrighthostileto
thechargesbeingleveledathimbythesecurityattendant.PersonAisheldforaperiodoftwohoursat
theendofwhichitisfoundthathehadactuallyputtheloafofbreadbackandwasnotstealing.Person
Asuesthegrocerystoreforfalseimprisonment.WouldpersonAprevailincourt?
Issue
TheissuehereiswhetherpersonAcouldprevailincourtbyallegingthathewas
falselyimprisoned.
Rules
MostjurisdictionsintheUnitedStatesallowrecoveryforfalseimprisonment.The
courtslookattwoelementsindeterminingwhetherapersonhasbeenfalsely
imprisoned,namelyjustcauseandauthority.Inlookingattheelementofjust
cause,courtsfurtheranalyzetwofactors:reasonablesuspicionandthe
environmentinwhichtheactionstakeplace.
Ifapersonsuspectsthatheisbeingdeprivedofpropertylegallyattachedtohim
andhecanshowthathissuspicionsarereasonablethenheissaidtohavea
reasonablesuspicion.Courtsalsolookatwhethertheactivityinquestiontook
placeinanenvironmentwherestealingiscommon.Crowdedpublicplacesand
shopsareconsideredtobemorejustifiableplaceswhereapersoncouldhavejust
causeforreasonablesuspicionincomparisontoprivatepropertyorsparsely
populatedareas.
Inlookingattheotherelementofauthority,thecourtstendtofavorpeople
directlychargedwithhandlingsecurityaspeoplewiththeauthoritytodetaina
personincomparisontoprivateindividuals.Thecourtshavemadeexceptionsin
thefavorofthepersonconductingthedetentionifheisashopkeeper.Thisspecial
privilegeiscalledtheshopkeeper'sprivilege.Ingeneraltheelementofauthority
isusuallyseenasonepartofatwopartlegaljustificationforlegallyjustifiable
detention.Forexampleincasesinvolvingdetentionbyanofficerofthelaw,
courtshaveruledthattheofficerhastohavebothjustcauseandauthority.
Authorityinitselfisnotenough.Thesamereasoningappliestoalldetaining
individuals.Exceptionsaremadeinthecasewhereapersonofauthorityhasto
conductaninvestigationwithjustcauseandcourtsusuallygrantareasonable
amountoftimeindetentionforthispurpose.Herethereasonableamountoftime
apersoncanbekeptindetentionisdirectlyrelatedtothecircumstancesunder
whichthedetentiontakesplace.
Application/Analysis

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PersonAwasconductinghisactivityinacrowdedplacethathappenedtobea
grocerystore.Hewasfurtherdetainedbyasecurityattendant.Thesecurity
attendanthadseenhimpickupaloafofbreadandwalkpastthecashregister
withoutpaying.Thesecurityattendantdetainedhimuntilhediscoveredthatno
thefthadtakenplace.PersonAwassubsequentlyreleaseduponthis
determinationoffact.
Acourtlookingatthesefactswouldtrytoapplythetwoelementsoffalse
imprisonment.Thefirstelementoffalseimprisonmentisjustcause.Thefirst
factorofjustcauseisreasonablesuspicion.ThesecurityattendantsawpersonA
pickupaloafofbreadandstuffitbeneathhisjacket.Thisisanuncommonaction
asmostgroceryshopcustomersusuallydonothideproduceundertheirpersonal
belongings.Thesecurityattendant,therefore,hasreasonablesuspicionbecausea
reasonablepersoninhisplacewouldhavealsoconsideredthisactiontobe
suspicious.PersonAfurtherwalksbythecashregisterwithoutpaying.The
securityattendanthasalreadyseenpersonAhidingthebreadunderhisjacketand
honestlybelievesthatpersonAisstillinpossessionoftheloafofbread.A
reasonablepersoninthesecurityattendant'ssteadwouldarguablyacttostop
personA.Thus,thisseemstosatisfythefirstfactoroftheelementofjustcause,
reasonablesuspicion.
Thesecondfactoroftheelementofjustcauseistheenvironment.Theactivity
takesplaceinagrocerystore.Agrocerystoreisusuallyaplacewhereshoplifters
andotherthievesoperateregularly.Thisreducestheburdenofjustcauseplaced
onthepersonperformingthedetention.Thesecurityattendanthastobeunusually
vigilantandsuspiciousofaperson'smotivebecauseofhislocation.Thisthen
seemstosatisfythesecondfactoroftheelementofjustcause,environment.
Thesecondelementoffalseimprisonmentisauthority.Thepersonperformingthe
detentionofAisthesecurityattendantofthegrocerystore.Heistheperson
chargedwithsecuringthegrocerystoreanditsproperty.Thesecurityattendant
seespersonAputtheloafofbreadunderneathhiscoatandwalkthroughthe
checkoutwithoutpaying.Thesecurityattendantnowhastoactbecausehehas
beenchargedwiththesecurityofthestoreandhehasjustcause.Thesecurity
attendantperformstheinvestigationafterheputspersonAindetentionandit
takestwohours.Twohoursmightseemlikeanunreasonableamountoftimebut
giventhefactthatpersonAwasunresponsiveanduncooperativeitseemstobe
reasonable.Italsoseemsasifthesecurityattendantwasdoinghisduediligence
ashereleasespersonAassoonasthefactsareestablishedanditisshownthat
personAwasnotstealingtheloafofbread.
Finallywehavetolookatthefactthatsincetheactivitytookplaceinagrocery
store,theshopkeeper'sprivilegeappliesdirectlytothesecurityattendantin
chargeofsecuringthestoreanditsproperty.Thisprivilegegivesthesecurity
attendantextraleewayindetainingpeopleinwhomhehasreasonablesuspicion.
MostcourtswouldleanheavilytowardstheshopkeeperbecausepersonAwason
thepropertyofthegrocerystoreandthuscouldbesubjectedtoextrascrutiny
giventhelonghistoryoftheshopkeeper'sprivilegeincommonlaw.
Conclusion

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PersonAwouldmostlikelynotprevailinthecourtsbecausethesecurity
attendantdoesnotsatisfyeitherelementoffalseimprisonment.Thedetentionof
personAwaslegalbecausethesecurityattendanthadbothjustcauseand
authority.Additionally,theshopkeeper'sprivilegefurthersolidifiesthelegalityof
thedetention.PersonA,therefore,hasnorecourseunderthelaw.

Variations
HIRAC(Heading,Issue,Rule,Analysis/Application,Conclusion)[1]
FIRAC(Facts,Issues,RelevantLegalProvisionsandRules,ApplicationofRules,Conclusion)
MIRAT(MaterialFacts,Issues,Rules,Application,TentativeConclusion).
IDAR(Issues,Doctrine,Application,Result).
AFGAN(Application,Facts,Grounds,Answer,Negotiation)
CRAAC(Conclusion,Rules,AnalogousCase(ifapplicable),Application,Conclusion.Thisis
mostlyusedforwritingassignments.
CREAC(Conclusion,Rules,Explanation,Application,Conclusion)
TREACC(Topic,Rule,Explanation,Analysis,Counterarguments,Conclusion)
TRIAccC(Topic,Rule,Issues,Analysis[cases,conclusion],Conclusion)
TREAT(Thesis,Rule,[Rule]Explanation,[Rule]Application,Thesis)
TRRAC(Thesis,RuleStatement,RuleExplanation,Application,Conclusion)
CRuPAC(Conclusion,Rule,Proof,Analysis,Conclusion)
ILAC(Issue,Law,Application,Conclusion)
KUWAIT(Konclusion,Utility,Wording,Answer,Initiation,Thoughts)
CIRAC(Conclusion,Issue,Rules,Application,Conclusion)
IPAAC(Issue,Principle,Authority,Application,Conclusion)
IRREAC(Issue,Rule,RuleExplanation,Application,Conclusion)
CLEO(Claim,Law,Evaluation,Outcome)
IRACDD(Issue,Rule,Analysis,Conclusion,Defense,Damages).
CI/REXAC(Conclusion,Introductory/Roadmap(IssueandRule),Explanation,Application,
Conclusion)
BaRAC(BoldAssertion,Rule,Application,Conclusion)

References
1. "LegalReasoningandHIRAC"(https://academicskills.anu.edu.au/resources/handouts/legalreasoningand
hirac).AustralianNationalUniversity.

Externallinks
LegalReasoningandHIRAC:AustralianNationalUniversityCollegeofLaw
(https://academicskills.anu.edu.au/sites/default/files/Legal_Reasoning_and_HIRAC.pdf)
ExplanationofIRAC(http://www.lawnerds.com/guide/irac.html)
InDefenseofIRACarejoinderto"WhyIRACsucks"
(http://www.threeyearsofhell.com/archive/000802.php)
DondalJ.Kochan,"Thinking"inaDeweyanPerspective:TheLawSchoolExamasaCaseStudy
forThinkinginLawyering(http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2034154),12NEV.
L.J.395(2012).
Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=IRAC&oldid=658116774"
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