How to read Supreme Court Cases

Reading Supreme Court cases can be daunting at first glance; however, it is

easy as you think it is. The importance of reading a case is that it brings
examples to the codal provisions by interpreting the law. As put it cases are
like leaves, and fruits of a tree, it supplies the legal system with the proper
interpretation of the law. Cases are the basis of commentaries that you read
in textbooks. Similarly, the codal provisions are the roots, and trunk of a
tree.
Here is the techniques in reading cases:
1. First, and foremost, read the dispositive portion. What is a dispositive
portion?

The dispositive portion or the fallo is what actually constitutes the

resolution of the court and which is the subject of execution, although
the other parts of the decision may be resorted to in order to
determine the ratio decidendi for such a resolution.1

The wordings of a dispositive portion are like this:

WHEREFORE, this case is hereby remanded to the court a

quo for execution of the decision dated June 18, 1979.

SO ORDERED.

Narvasa, C.J., Padilla and Regalado, JJ., concur.

Ganyan palagi ang dispositive portion ng Supreme Court case,

although ibat iba ang wordings depende sa nature ng case. Ang clue
diyan ay me So Ordered palagi, tsaka pangalan ng Justices sa
ibaba.

The reason here is that you know what happened to the entire case,
and you can set what you ca.

1
Olac vs. Honorable Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 84256. September 2, 1992
 2. When reading a case, filter out the unnecessary words of phrases.

Only read the relevant information and disregard the unnecessary

facts. The unnecessary facts include procedural laws.

Procedural laws can be seen like: Rule 35, Motion to Dismiss,

certiorari, appeal to to RTC, and CA.
You will also encounter a ruling of the said procedural law. Skip it and
go to the substantive issue.

3. Look for the ratio dicidendi, or the major premise of the Court in
ruling a case as well as the application.
This is the relevant part to you. Some Court cases have Roman
numeral numbers, indicating the decisions. Others do not. It depends
on the Justice who writes a case; so you need to look for it. Another
trick in looking for it is CTRL+F.
You could also read a digest. This is a great way of saving time.
However, digests do not capture fully the reasoning of the Court.
So all in all, it would depend upon your strategy on how to study
RELEBUS. I hope this Guide will help you in studying RFBT.