Wk2 - Research Plan Example

Intro to US Law 5/11/2014

The University of FloridaLevin College of Law 1

Prof. Jennifer WondracekLevin College of Law

1

Research Plan Example

HypotheticalYou are driving your new car in Gainesville, FL when you see a stop sign in front of you. You press the brake pedal, but nothing happens. You continue through the stop sign without stopping and hit another car. After examining them, a mechanic later tells you that your brakes were defective. You want to sue the manufacturer of your car for the faulty brakes.Please draft a research plan.



Research Plan

IssueJurisdictionConcepts and Terms (keywords)SourcesPossible Search String

IssueTARP Rule: Thing or Subject Matter

Car accidentFaulty brakes per mechanic

Cause of Action or Ground of DefensePersonal or Property injuries are tort law (common law)Manufacturer sold an item with a bad or defective part

Does it matter if manufacturer knew or did not know about bad part?



Relief SoughtMonetary for car damage & possible personal injuryMoney to punish the manufacturer for bad action (punitive damages)

Parties InvolvedYouCar Manufacturer Potentially, brake manufacturer

Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction: State:

Yes where the accident took place Florida Federal:

Probably not



Concepts and terms (keywords)Car/ vehicle/ automobile/ truckAccident/ crashBrakes - Equipment/ part/ productFailed/ failure/ faulty/ defect/ defective/ badManufacturerLiable/ liabilityProduct liability

SourcesSecondary Sources Encyclopedia - Wex by the Legal Information Institute Book about products liability check my local library

Primary sources Case law

Cost factorsJurisdiction and Issue influences



Possible Search stringNatural language search: Manufacturer liability for a defective product

Terms & Connectors/Boolean: Manufacturer AND defect OR faulty OR bad AND

product OR part You can use parentheses to keep thoughts

together:Manufacturer AND (defect OR faulty OR bad) AND (product OR part)

Research Plan In its entirety

IssueJurisdictionConcepts and Terms (keywords)SourcesPossible Search String

Documents

Wk2 - Research Plan Example