C a S E

i E t
FORENSIC LINGUISTICS
 What are
case digests?

DEFINITION
DEFINITION
• These are an essential part of the study of the law.
• Remember that our legal system is a triangulation of
the Codal provisions as prepared by the legislature
and the interpretation of the Supreme Court through
their decisions and of course your textbooks or
commentaries which are essentially a re-statement
of the two.
 KINDS OF
CASE DIGESTS

THE FOLLOWING ARE

 Case Digests for Classroom Use

● These are essentially notes and bullet points that

you’ll need to effectively remember the cases you’ve
read.
● It helps you be prepared.
● Helpful for recitations.
● More of a reference rather than a complete re-
statement of the case.
● Otherwise known as baby digests or mini digests.
 Digests for Digest Groups or assigned by the Beadle

● Usually, there are 30 to 40 cases per class in every

meeting.
● Thus, students opt to join a group digest to spread
out the volume of the work needed.
● The beadle organizes the class case digests from
time to time as a means to effectively lighten the
load.
 Digests for Digest Groups or assigned by the Beadle

For example:

If there are 120 cases for one topic and the block is
composed of 40 students, each student will make three
digests. The rest will be provided by your classmates.
 Digests for Digest Groups or assigned by the Beadle

Cons:
● The reliability of the digests
● The quality - It is hard to study other people’s digest
● Cases digests of this kind should not be more than
two pages
● Appreciation of your classmates to the case
 Handwritten Case Digests for biding
and submission at the end of the semester

● Usually assigned during the first meeting in every

subject
● This leverages the power of repetition in order to
hammer down the doctrines of the Supreme Court
● These are of course handwritten
● Must be submitted during finals week
General Principles that are applicable
to all three kinds of a case digest
1. Start with why
a) Why the case is assigned
b) Usually found in the syllabus
c) Usually written by the ponente of the decision
2. Go for the spoilers
a) Read the ending of the case first.
b) Was the case dismissed?
c) Is the defendant liable?
d) Who should pay the damages?
e) This will help you read with a purpose.
f) Easier to find the most crucial doctrine that your professor wants to hear
Be complete, concise, and confident in your digest

a) Restate what the Supreme Court is giving us within a page or two.

b) Takes a lot of work but repetition will hone your skills.
EXACT STEPS IN WRITING
DIGESTS IN
1. CLASSROOM USE
a) Write your first sentence– your thesis
statement. This should answer the following:
- Who filed the case?
- Against whom was the case filed?
- What is the action filed?
- What reliefs are being sought?
1. CLASSROOM USE

For example:
Gina Lao-Tsois filed a case for the annulment of
her marriage with Chi Ming Tsoi on the ground
of psychological incapacity. (Chi Ming Tsoi vs.
Court of Appeals G.R. No. 119190)
1. CLASSROOM USE
b) Write the facts of the case
- Fact Number 1
- Fact number 2
- And so on

Note: The facts must be detailed in a way that you’ll be able to

convince your professor that you read the full text of the case.
Bullet points are enough.
1. CLASSROOM USE
Using the same example in letter A, the facts needed by your
professors are the fact of their marriage

Example:
- Married in the Manila Cathedral on May 1988
- Lived with Mama Tsoi
- Had their honeymoon in Baguio City
- 2 inches to 3 inches plus 1 centimeter
1. CLASSROOM USE
c) Write two columns and label them with the names
of the parties
In the left column write the ff:
- Name of the plaintiff
- Argument number 1
- Argument number 2
- Argument number 3
1. CLASSROOM USE
c) Write two columns and label them with the names
of the parties
In the right column, write the ff:
- Name of the defendant
- Argument number 1
- Argument number 2
- Argument number 3
Example:
Left Column
- Gina Lao
- Closet homosexuality + Kilay is life
- Residency requirements
- Front or appearance as a normal man

Right Column
- Chi Ming Tsoi
- Loves Gina Lao
- Capable of erection
- The relationship can still be repaired
1. CLASSROOM USE
d) Write the ruling of the RTC and the Court of Appeals

- The part where you usually write your legal basis.

- The easiest way is to draw an arrow from the RTC to the
party that receives a favorable decision and the exact
argument used. The same goes for the Court of Appeals.
1. CLASSROOM USE
e) Write the ruling, doctrine, and basis of the
Supreme Court
- Mention the name of the Ponente just in case it is asked.
- DO NOT abbreviate or use bullet points
- Write the doctrine in full for maximum retentio
Example:
One of the essential marital obligations under the
Family Code is to procreate children based on the
universal principle that the procreation of children
through sexual procreation is the basic end of a
marriage. Constant non-fulfillment of this
obligation will finally destroy the integrity or
wholeness of the marriage. In the case at bar, the
senseless and protracted refusal of one of the
parties to fulfill the above marital obligation is
equivalent to psychological incapacity.
2. GROUP DIGEST
- Title of the case
- Citation of the case
- G.R. No.
- Date promulgated

NOTE: No need to write the ponente or the writer of the

decision.
2. GROUP DIGEST
How is the group case digest done?
a) The first paragraph must contain a thesis statement and
answer the ff:
- Who filed the case?
- Against whom was the case filed?
- What is the action filed?
- What reliefs are being sought?
2. GROUP DIGEST
How is the group case digest done?
b) Write the facts of the case in the second paragraph. Use bullet points and
simply expand them as sentences.
c) Write the arguments of the parties in the third paragraph. This must be brief
and concise.
d) Write the rulings of the RTC and the CA in the fourth paragraph. Make it
simple, no need to embellish.
e) Lastly, write the ruling of the supreme court.
Note:
When you write a case digest for your
digest group, be brief and concise. No
obligation to write all the facts because
your classmates are relying on your
work.
3. HANDWRITTEN AND HARD-BOUND CASE DIGESTS

- Usually assigned because our professors want us to learn the law the way
they have been taught.
- Lawyers believe that once you write the doctrine, you are now capable to
use it for midterms, fina.
- ls, 4th-year review, and the Bar Exam.
- The procedure is the same as the procedure for group digests. The only
difference is that there are labels, you’ll need a subheading for your facts, the
issue, and the ruling, and some even include a subheading for the conclusion.
- No need to write the issues as they are provided by the Supreme Court
The ruling of the lower courts is futile. Choose only one argument from each
party
Note:
Be kind to your hands and time.

Hard-bound case digests are usually a

formality and the professors have
absolutely no way of checking all of them
under a microscope.
3. HANDWRITTEN AND HARD-BOUND CASE DIGESTS

Basis of the grade:

- The fact of submission (WON you passed)
- Spot checks, or random checks, with or without the assistance of
the beadle, the professor will choose three cases from their syllabus
usually it is uniform in the class. The beadle will be asked to find
these cases in your hard-bound word. They will not read it but they
will check if you indeed wrote the digest.
3. HANDWRITTEN AND HARD-BOUND CASE DIGESTS

Basis of the grade:

- The neatness of your work, handwriting, and table of contents.

Usually, if there is no table of contents, there will be deductions
including the page number of your cases in the bottom corner similar
to a book. Add the summary of the case doctrine even when it is not
required. You’ll need this as part of your reference. Arrange and sort
the doctrines by topic.
3. HANDWRITTEN AND HARD-BOUND CASE DIGESTS

In a nutshell, the best practices for handwritten and

hardbound digests are:
- Completeness is King.
- Be as brief as possible
- Spread out the work over the semester and DO NOT procrastinate
- Write page numbers and make a table of contents
- Make a summary of the case doctrines, even when not required.
Bonus:
Make a creative introduction and
thank you message to your
professor
T h A N K S
Members:
Aglugub, Rizzaline Grace
Ariola, Ambra Kaye
Caguco, Sofia

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