what is a case overview

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How to Write a Case Brief: Essential Skills for Law Students

Ever been in a courtroom, or watched one on TV and wondered how attorneys keep track of all those cases? Imagine trying to recall each fact, rule, or precedent at the drop of a gavel! It’s enough to make your brain whirl!

Welcome to the world of case briefs – an attorney’s secret weapon. They’re like maps guiding lawyers through the complex labyrinth that is law. Writing them well can be daunting though, right?

We’ve got you covered! You’ll soon master writing clear and concise case briefs. We’ll dissect every component from facts to conclusions while helping you avoid common pitfalls.

The best part? This isn’t just for future Atticus Finches out there; anyone looking for enhanced understanding of legal principles will find this handy too!

Ready? Court is now in session…

Jump Ahead To:

Understanding the Importance of a Case Brief

Imagine you’re a chef preparing to whip up a gourmet meal. A case brief is your recipe – it outlines the ingredients (facts), method (legal principles), and expected outcome (judgment). Without this ‘recipe’, you might miss an important step or ingredient, resulting in a less-than-stellar dish.

A case brief plays much the same role for law students and professionals alike. It’s an essential tool that helps dissect complex legal cases into manageable chunks. Think of it as your roadmap through dense legal jungles filled with precedent-setting decisions, intricate arguments, and landmark judgments. Litigators especially find them handy when they need to recall specific details from previous cases.

The Beauty of Brevity:

In law school, time is gold but so are words. You’ll be dealing with hefty textbooks and long-winded court rulings – more than enough reason why brevity becomes beautiful. A well-written case brief distills these verbose documents into their core elements: facts, procedural history, issue at hand, rule applied by the court (the holding) , rationale behind it (the reasoning) , decision reached (the judgment) , along with any concurring or dissenting opinions.

A Lifeline for Legal Eagles:

Ever heard of the phrase ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’? That’s exactly what you’re doing when you use a case brief. You’re leveraging past knowledge to build your own understanding, and perhaps even contribute something new. By analyzing how previous cases were argued and decided, budding lawyers can sharpen their critical thinking skills – an invaluable asset in this profession.

Essential Elements of a Case Brief

A well-structured case brief is like a blueprint for understanding complex legal cases. Just as architects use blueprints to visualize and construct buildings, law students and professionals use case briefs to break down intricate details of court rulings.

First off, every robust case brief begins with the case name . It’s your marker in the vast sea of legal proceedings. Identifying it correctly allows you not only to distinguish between cases but also to recall them quickly when needed.

Facts: The Foundation Stones

The facts are what make each case unique. They’re like foundation stones on which entire arguments rest. Including essential information about who did what and why can help lay this foundation strong in your mind, helping you understand how laws apply in real-world scenarios.

Procedural History: Tracing Legal Footsteps

The procedural history traces all steps taken by lower courts before reaching its current status. Think of it as tracking footprints left behind during previous stages – knowing where they lead can give valuable insight into how decisions were made along the way.

The Issue & Rule: Navigating Through Complexity

In every case lies an issue—a specific question asked within the context of these detailed facts—and corresponding rules or principles applied by courts answer this query.

Analysis & Conclusion: Drawing Lessons

The analysis discusses how courts apply rules to specific facts. The conclusion ties everything together with a clear, concise statement of who won and why.

Becoming adept at identifying these elements will help you become an expert case brief writer – because every great building starts with a well-drawn blueprint.

Steps to Writing an Effective Case Brief

To craft an effective case brief, you should begin by reading the entire court document. This lets you get a grasp on the context and details.

Dig Into The Facts

After reading, start by noting down all important facts. Identify who’s involved, what happened, and why it matters in legal terms. Make sure not to miss out on any crucial information here because this forms your foundation.

Note Down Procedural History

The next step is jotting down procedural history: where did this dispute start? Which courts heard it before reaching its current state? Remember – each stage influences how laws are interpreted.

Identify The Issue At Hand

Moving forward from there is identifying issues at hand. What specific legal question does this case pose? Get into detective mode.

This helps clarify what rule or precedent will be applied.

Catch That Rule of Law.

Your fourth task is spotting that elusive rule of law being used in the judgment process.

Analyze And Conclude:

The fifth move involves analyzing how judges apply rules identified earlier in these particular circumstances. They might interpret them differently based on various factors; see if you can pinpoint these variations.

Last but definitely not least, draw your conclusions. What is the result of this situation? How does it impact future legal scenarios?

Following these steps ensures you have a well-structured and comprehensive case brief that will be invaluable in understanding complex cases.

Tips for Writing a Clear and Concise Case Brief

Writing a clear and concise case brief is much like preparing a recipe. You need to gather all the right ingredients, follow the steps meticulously, and in the end, you have something palatable that everyone can understand.

Choose Your Words Wisely

The first step is choosing your words wisely. Avoid legal jargon when simpler language will do just as well.

Maintain Focus on Key Points

Next up – maintain focus on key points. Stick strictly with facts directly related to resolving the issue at hand in your case briefs. Avoid irrelevant details because they cloud understanding rather than enhancing it – stay focused.

Fine-Tune Your Formatting Skills

Last but not least: formatting matters too. Consider using bullet points or numbered lists where appropriate so information stands out clearly (remember our recipe analogy?).

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Case Brief

As law students, we often make mistakes while drafting our first few case briefs. But remember, errors are stepping stones to learning. Here’s a rundown of common blunders and how you can sidestep them.

Failing to Understand the Facts Fully

Sometimes, in an effort to keep things concise, important details may be overlooked or misunderstood. To prevent this from happening, understand your case thoroughly. You might find that re-reading helps uncover missed nuances.

Omitting Legal Precedents

We tend to focus on the current case at hand and forget about previous rulings that set precedents. These play a pivotal role in judicial decisions. Research past cases to strengthen your understanding and enhance your argument.

Lack of Clarity and Precision

The purpose of writing a case brief is not just for academic evaluation but also as a tool for future reference. It should therefore be clear enough for others (and future you) to get the gist quickly without needing further explanation . Make sure every sentence counts.

Relying Too Heavily on Templates or Examples

Tailor-made solutions always outshine one-size-fits-all approaches. While templates can guide you, don’t be a slave to them. Rather than conforming to an existing template, it is essential to bring out the distinctive elements and perspectives of your case.

Misplacing Focus

A common pitfall is overemphasizing less critical aspects while sidelining key issues. Always keep sight of what matters most: the legal issue at hand and how it was resolved. Writing a solid case brief isn’t just about skill – it’s an art form.

The Role of Precedent in Case Briefs

Precedents play a significant role in case briefs, acting as guiding lights for legal reasoning. But what exactly are precedents? Simply put, they are past judicial decisions used to help interpret and apply the law to new cases.

Analyzing Legal Precedence in Your Case Brief

In your case brief, analyzing the relevant precedent will involve examining prior rulings on similar issues or facts. This process lets you predict how a court might rule based on established patterns.

But remember not every old decision serves as good illumination; only those from higher courts within the same jurisdiction do so. For instance, if we consider U.S Federal Courts system hierarchy, U.S District Court rulings don’t bind Appellate Courts or the Supreme Court.

Using Precedent to Craft Strong Arguments

Beyond predicting potential outcomes, using precedent can also help build robust arguments. When a previous ruling aligns with your case, citing it can strengthen your argument. Conversely, if an unfavorable precedent exists, you might argue why it shouldn’t apply to your situation.

Understanding and effectively using precedents in case briefs isn’t just helpful; it’s essential. They give context for decisions and offer predictability in the legal process – all while lighting up that otherwise dark path of legal reasoning.

Reviewing and Revising Your Case Brief

So, you’ve written your case brief. But are you done? Not quite. Revisiting and refining your work is an essential part of the process to ensure accuracy. Ensure that your brief is a precise representation of the case by thoroughly examining it.

Meticulous Examination for Accuracy

To start with, check if all elements in your case brief template are correctly filled out. Make sure that each point, from facts to legal principles applied, lines up perfectly with what was in the actual case document.

If any discrepancies arise between your summary and the original text during this review stage, take steps to fix them right away.

Critical Evaluation for Clarity

Beyond accuracy lies clarity – does your briefing make sense not only to you but also to others who might read it?

The Power of Peer Reviews

This brings us onto peer reviews: they can be invaluable here. A fresh set of eyes often catches things we miss, after all.

Ask a fellow law student or even your professor to review your brief and provide feedback. Their perspectives can help you spot any gaps in explanation, unclear language, or legal inaccuracies.

A Continuous Process

Last but not least, remember that revising is an ongoing process – it’s rare for anything to be perfect on the first go. As you learn more about the law and develop as a lawyer, come back and revise older case briefs with fresh insights.

The Impact of a Well-Written Case Brief

A well-crafted case brief not only gives you a sense of direction and understanding, but also helps to simplify intricate legal concepts.

Imagine walking into a courtroom with an encyclopedia’s worth of knowledge condensed into easily digestible notes. It’s like having your very own toolbox, filled with precisely what you need to make compelling arguments.

A robust case brief is more than just an outline; it’s a roadmap that guides you through the labyrinthine world of law. Each section—facts, procedural history, issue, rule analysis—is not merely informative but instructive too.

Improved Legal Understanding

Diving deep into past cases lets us swim around legal precedents and understand their impact on current laws. A detailed summary allows us to examine these influences from various angles which ultimately sharpens our analytical skills and broadens our perspectives about the law itself.

In essence, preparing comprehensive case briefs isn’t simply busywork—it’s mental gymnastics for future lawyers. So don’t think twice before rolling up those sleeves because as we say at The Art of Law School: No pain (in this case reading lots.), no gain.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the primary purpose of writing a case brief in law school? The primary purpose of writing a case brief is to condense and synthesize complex legal cases into a manageable format. It helps law students and professionals understand and recall key aspects of cases, such as facts, legal issues, and judgments, which is crucial for classroom discussions, exams, and legal practice.

2. What are the key components of an effective case brief? An effective case brief typically includes the case name, relevant facts, procedural history, the legal issue(s) at hand, the rule of law applied, the court’s analysis, and the final judgment or conclusion. Each component provides a structured overview of the case, making it easier to understand and remember.

3. How can a case brief help in legal studies and practice? Case briefs help in legal studies by facilitating better comprehension and recall of complex cases, improving critical thinking and analytical skills, and preparing students for class participation and exams. In legal practice, they serve as quick references to legal precedents and assist in formulating legal strategies and arguments.

4. What are common mistakes to avoid while writing a case brief? Common mistakes include missing out on crucial facts or legal issues, overly summarizing the case to the point of losing important details, failing to clearly articulate the rule of law, and not aligning the case analysis with the conclusion. Avoiding these errors ensures the brief is both accurate and useful.

5. How does technology aid in writing case briefs? Technology, particularly legal research tools and AI-powered applications, aids in writing case briefs by providing easy access to a vast database of legal cases and precedents, enabling efficient research, and offering analytical insights that can enhance the quality of case briefs.

Mastering the art of case briefing is a pivotal step in your legal education journey, and now, equipped with the right techniques and insights, it’s within your reach. These skills are more than academic necessities; they are crucial in demystifying the complexities of legal cases, helping you transition from classroom theory to real-world application seamlessly.

As you delve into each case, remember the importance of accurately capturing the case name, facts, and the ruling. These key elements form the backbone of your legal analysis, guiding you through the nuances of each case. With the strategies and tips provided, you’re well-prepared to craft briefs that are both precise and insightful. Embrace this skill as a continuous learning process, refining and honing with each brief you compose. Stay dedicated, and watch as your ability to dissect and understand complex legal scenarios reaches new heights, setting the stage for a successful legal career.

Stephen Metellus

I am a 3L law student in Washington D.C and owner of theartoflawschool.com! I started law school with a lot of hopes and expectations, and it has certainly been a wild ride from the start! My goal is writing articles that help you in navigating through law school.

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BRIEFING CASES

The following excerpt is from How to Study Law and Take Law Exams in a Nutshell, authored by Ann M. Burkhart and Robert A. Stein .

What is a brief?

A brief is a written summary of the case.

How to prepare a brief To prepare one, you must distill the case's most important parts and restate them in your own words. The effort will provide a variety of important benefits.

Read the case carefully and thoroughly to describe the case accurately. Describing the case in your own words forces you to determine exactly what the courts said, which concepts and facts were essential to its decision, and the proper legal terminology and procedures.

Tip: Access Black's Law Dictionary® on Westlaw® for legal term definitions.

Succinct briefs are key.

To be most effective, case briefs must be brief.

Remember: With reading so many cases in each course, your case briefs will help you remember the details of each case for class discussions and exam preparation.

Briefing cases is an important professional skill Briefing cases is not just for law school. As a lawyer, you will have to read and analyze cases with a careful eye to detail. You also will have to summarize cases when writing legal memoranda, briefs, and other documents and when making oral arguments to courts. Now, begin practicing and developing your briefing skills. Remember, the skills you develop in law school will follow you to practice.

Steps to briefing a case

1. Select a useful case brief format. There are many different ways to brief a case. You should use the format that is most useful for your class and exam preparations. Regardless of form, every brief should include the following information in steps 2-9.

2. Use the right caption when naming the brief. A brief should begin with the case name, the court that decided it, the year it was decided, and the page on which it appears in the casebook.

3. Identify the case facts. Next, state the facts of the case. This section is necessary because legal principles are defined by the situations in which they arise. Include in your brief only those facts that are legally relevant. A fact is legally relevant if it had an impact on the case's outcome. For example, in a personal injury action arising from a car accident, the color of the parties' cars seldom would be relevant to the case's outcome. Similarly, if the plaintiff and defendant presented different versions of the facts, you should describe those differences only if they are relevant to the court's consideration of the case. Because you will not know which facts are legally relevant until you have read and deciphered the entire case, do not try to brief a case while reading it for the first time.

4. Outline the procedural history. With the statement of facts, you have taken the case to the point at which the plaintiff filed suit. The next section of the brief, the procedural history, begins at that point and ends with the case's appearance in the court that wrote the opinion you are reading. For a trial court opinion, identify the type of legal action the plaintiff brought. For an appellate court opinion, also describe how the trial court and, if applicable, the lower appellate court decided the case and why.

5. State the issues in question. You are now ready to describe the opinion you are briefing. In this section of the brief, state the factual and legal questions that the court had to decide. To analyze a case properly, you must break it down to its component parts.

6. State the holding in your words. In this section, separately answer each question in the issues section. For quick reference, first state the answer in a word or two, such as "yes" or "no." Then in a sentence or two, state the legal principle on which the court relied to reach that answer (the "holding").

7. Describe the court's rationale for each holding. You now should describe the court's rationale for each holding. This section of the case brief may be the most important, because you must understand the court's reasoning to analyze it and to apply it to other fact situations, such as those on the exam. Starting with the first issue, describe each link in the court's chain of reasoning.

8. Explain the final disposition. Describe the final disposition of the case. Did the court decide in favor of the plaintiff or the defendant? What remedy, if any, did the court grant? If it is an appellate court opinion, did the court affirm the lower court's decision, reverse it in whole or in part, or remand the case for additional proceedings?

9. Include other opinions. Concurring and dissenting opinions are included in a casebook when they present an interesting alternative analysis of the case. Therefore, you should describe the analysis in your case brief. It will help you see the case in a different light.

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What Is a Case Study?

Weighing the pros and cons of this method of research

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Cara Lustik is a fact-checker and copywriter.

Verywell / Colleen Tighe

Pros and Cons

What Types of Case Studies Are Out There?

Where do you find data for a case study, how do i write a psychology case study.

A case study is an in-depth study of one person, group, or event. In a case study, nearly every aspect of the subject's life and history is analyzed to seek patterns and causes of behavior. Case studies can be used in many different fields, including psychology, medicine, education, anthropology, political science, and social work.

The point of a case study is to learn as much as possible about an individual or group so that the information can be generalized to many others. Unfortunately, case studies tend to be highly subjective, and it is sometimes difficult to generalize results to a larger population.

While case studies focus on a single individual or group, they follow a format similar to other types of psychology writing. If you are writing a case study, we got you—here are some rules of APA format to reference.

At a Glance

A case study, or an in-depth study of a person, group, or event, can be a useful research tool when used wisely. In many cases, case studies are best used in situations where it would be difficult or impossible for you to conduct an experiment. They are helpful for looking at unique situations and allow researchers to gather a lot of˜ information about a specific individual or group of people. However, it's important to be cautious of any bias we draw from them as they are highly subjective.

What Are the Benefits and Limitations of Case Studies?

A case study can have its strengths and weaknesses. Researchers must consider these pros and cons before deciding if this type of study is appropriate for their needs.

One of the greatest advantages of a case study is that it allows researchers to investigate things that are often difficult or impossible to replicate in a lab. Some other benefits of a case study:

Allows researchers to capture information on the 'how,' 'what,' and 'why,' of something that's implemented
Gives researchers the chance to collect information on why one strategy might be chosen over another
Permits researchers to develop hypotheses that can be explored in experimental research

On the other hand, a case study can have some drawbacks:

It cannot necessarily be generalized to the larger population
Cannot demonstrate cause and effect
It may not be scientifically rigorous
It can lead to bias

Researchers may choose to perform a case study if they want to explore a unique or recently discovered phenomenon. Through their insights, researchers develop additional ideas and study questions that might be explored in future studies.

It's important to remember that the insights from case studies cannot be used to determine cause-and-effect relationships between variables. However, case studies may be used to develop hypotheses that can then be addressed in experimental research.

Case Study Examples

There have been a number of notable case studies in the history of psychology. Much of Freud's work and theories were developed through individual case studies. Some great examples of case studies in psychology include:

Anna O : Anna O. was a pseudonym of a woman named Bertha Pappenheim, a patient of a physician named Josef Breuer. While she was never a patient of Freud's, Freud and Breuer discussed her case extensively. The woman was experiencing symptoms of a condition that was then known as hysteria and found that talking about her problems helped relieve her symptoms. Her case played an important part in the development of talk therapy as an approach to mental health treatment.
Phineas Gage : Phineas Gage was a railroad employee who experienced a terrible accident in which an explosion sent a metal rod through his skull, damaging important portions of his brain. Gage recovered from his accident but was left with serious changes in both personality and behavior.
Genie : Genie was a young girl subjected to horrific abuse and isolation. The case study of Genie allowed researchers to study whether language learning was possible, even after missing critical periods for language development. Her case also served as an example of how scientific research may interfere with treatment and lead to further abuse of vulnerable individuals.

Such cases demonstrate how case research can be used to study things that researchers could not replicate in experimental settings. In Genie's case, her horrific abuse denied her the opportunity to learn a language at critical points in her development.

This is clearly not something researchers could ethically replicate, but conducting a case study on Genie allowed researchers to study phenomena that are otherwise impossible to reproduce.

There are a few different types of case studies that psychologists and other researchers might use:

Collective case studies : These involve studying a group of individuals. Researchers might study a group of people in a certain setting or look at an entire community. For example, psychologists might explore how access to resources in a community has affected the collective mental well-being of those who live there.
Descriptive case studies : These involve starting with a descriptive theory. The subjects are then observed, and the information gathered is compared to the pre-existing theory.
Explanatory case studies : These are often used to do causal investigations. In other words, researchers are interested in looking at factors that may have caused certain things to occur.
Exploratory case studies : These are sometimes used as a prelude to further, more in-depth research. This allows researchers to gather more information before developing their research questions and hypotheses .
Instrumental case studies : These occur when the individual or group allows researchers to understand more than what is initially obvious to observers.
Intrinsic case studies : This type of case study is when the researcher has a personal interest in the case. Jean Piaget's observations of his own children are good examples of how an intrinsic case study can contribute to the development of a psychological theory.

The three main case study types often used are intrinsic, instrumental, and collective. Intrinsic case studies are useful for learning about unique cases. Instrumental case studies help look at an individual to learn more about a broader issue. A collective case study can be useful for looking at several cases simultaneously.

The type of case study that psychology researchers use depends on the unique characteristics of the situation and the case itself.

There are a number of different sources and methods that researchers can use to gather information about an individual or group. Six major sources that have been identified by researchers are:

Archival records : Census records, survey records, and name lists are examples of archival records.
Direct observation : This strategy involves observing the subject, often in a natural setting . While an individual observer is sometimes used, it is more common to utilize a group of observers.
Documents : Letters, newspaper articles, administrative records, etc., are the types of documents often used as sources.
Interviews : Interviews are one of the most important methods for gathering information in case studies. An interview can involve structured survey questions or more open-ended questions.
Participant observation : When the researcher serves as a participant in events and observes the actions and outcomes, it is called participant observation.
Physical artifacts : Tools, objects, instruments, and other artifacts are often observed during a direct observation of the subject.

If you have been directed to write a case study for a psychology course, be sure to check with your instructor for any specific guidelines you need to follow. If you are writing your case study for a professional publication, check with the publisher for their specific guidelines for submitting a case study.

Here is a general outline of what should be included in a case study.

Section 1: A Case History

This section will have the following structure and content:

Background information : The first section of your paper will present your client's background. Include factors such as age, gender, work, health status, family mental health history, family and social relationships, drug and alcohol history, life difficulties, goals, and coping skills and weaknesses.

Description of the presenting problem : In the next section of your case study, you will describe the problem or symptoms that the client presented with.

Describe any physical, emotional, or sensory symptoms reported by the client. Thoughts, feelings, and perceptions related to the symptoms should also be noted. Any screening or diagnostic assessments that are used should also be described in detail and all scores reported.

Your diagnosis : Provide your diagnosis and give the appropriate Diagnostic and Statistical Manual code. Explain how you reached your diagnosis, how the client's symptoms fit the diagnostic criteria for the disorder(s), or any possible difficulties in reaching a diagnosis.

Section 2: Treatment Plan

This portion of the paper will address the chosen treatment for the condition. This might also include the theoretical basis for the chosen treatment or any other evidence that might exist to support why this approach was chosen.

Cognitive behavioral approach : Explain how a cognitive behavioral therapist would approach treatment. Offer background information on cognitive behavioral therapy and describe the treatment sessions, client response, and outcome of this type of treatment. Make note of any difficulties or successes encountered by your client during treatment.
Humanistic approach : Describe a humanistic approach that could be used to treat your client, such as client-centered therapy . Provide information on the type of treatment you chose, the client's reaction to the treatment, and the end result of this approach. Explain why the treatment was successful or unsuccessful.
Psychoanalytic approach : Describe how a psychoanalytic therapist would view the client's problem. Provide some background on the psychoanalytic approach and cite relevant references. Explain how psychoanalytic therapy would be used to treat the client, how the client would respond to therapy, and the effectiveness of this treatment approach.
Pharmacological approach : If treatment primarily involves the use of medications, explain which medications were used and why. Provide background on the effectiveness of these medications and how monotherapy may compare with an approach that combines medications with therapy or other treatments.

This section of a case study should also include information about the treatment goals, process, and outcomes.

When you are writing a case study, you should also include a section where you discuss the case study itself, including the strengths and limitiations of the study. You should note how the findings of your case study might support previous research.

In your discussion section, you should also describe some of the implications of your case study. What ideas or findings might require further exploration? How might researchers go about exploring some of these questions in additional studies?

Need More Tips?

Here are a few additional pointers to keep in mind when formatting your case study:

Never refer to the subject of your case study as "the client." Instead, use their name or a pseudonym.
Read examples of case studies to gain an idea about the style and format.
Remember to use APA format when citing references .

Crowe S, Cresswell K, Robertson A, Huby G, Avery A, Sheikh A. The case study approach . BMC Med Res Methodol . 2011;11:100.

Crowe S, Cresswell K, Robertson A, Huby G, Avery A, Sheikh A. The case study approach . BMC Med Res Methodol . 2011 Jun 27;11:100. doi:10.1186/1471-2288-11-100

Gagnon, Yves-Chantal. The Case Study as Research Method: A Practical Handbook . Canada, Chicago Review Press Incorporated DBA Independent Pub Group, 2010.

Yin, Robert K. Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods . United States, SAGE Publications, 2017.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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CIVIL PROCEDURE BACK TO BASICS 49: THE CASE SUMMARY: THE RULES, SOME GUIDANCE AND AN EXAMPLE

A search term arrived on this blog today “how do i prepare a case summary for a civil litigation case”. a case summary should be prepared in virtually every multi track case. very little is written about it..

Practice Direction 29 – the Multi Track

(1) A case summary:

(a) should be designed to assist the court to understand and deal with the questions before it,, (b) should set out a brief chronology of the claim, the issues of fact which are agreed or in dispute and the evidence needed to decide them,, (c) should not normally exceed 500 words in length, and, (d) should be prepared by the claimant and agreed with the other parties if possible.”.

they have to be:

Comprehensive.
Non-adversarial.

Yet little guidance is available.

Some practitioners treat Case Summaries with profound suspicion. Others regard them as a marvellous vehicle for venting the splint “The dishonest claimant seeks ridiculous damages from the innocent defendant in this trumped up claim” (this is only a slight exaggeration). The only impact that such a summary will have is to lead the judge to doubt the drafter’s “equilibrium” (I am putting this kindly).

GUIDANCE FROM THE HANDBOOK FOR LITIGANTS IN PERSON

At 13.13 the guidance states:

“Some judges order a Case Summary to be prepared and filed. This is a brief statement of your case, hopefully on one side of A4; you do not need to give a detailed account. A good case summary will be non contentious and will set out the nature of the dispute and the issues that arise on the pleadings. Try and agree a case summary with your opponent and file it in court before the hearing so that the judge can read it and be up to speed with the case when the hearing begins.”

The new law journal, there is an important article in new law journal from district judge nigel law about his experience with case summaries in the county court. the case summaries he found were too long and rarely useful. this set me looking for examples of “good” case summaries. the search was fruitless. there is no doubt that the case summary is a humble, overlooked, document. i am now on the lookout for examples of “best practice”., “the importance of the case summary, chronology, and schedule of issues cannot be overstated. the greatest compliment you can receive is for the judge to quote in his judgment from one or more of these documents.”, further guidance from the district judge.

District Judge Lord reminds practitioners that:

A case summary should be a concise but complete overview of the whole case.
It is designed so that the judge can quickly grasp the essential facts and matters in issue.
Reading time is limited.
Deliver the case summary in good time.
Sending the case summary the same morning as the hearing is never helpful.

I did (as long ago as October 2015) ask if anyone wanted to volunteer examples. There was never any response.

KICKING OFF WITH A SIMPLE EXAMPLE: A PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM

IN THE COUNTY COURT IN GALTRES Case No

MASTER RUPERT BOAR

(BY HIS FATHER AND LITIGATION FRIEND MR DENTON BOAR) Claimant

MR DAVID GORDON Defendant

CASE SUMMARY

This action arises out of injuries that Rupert suffered on the 21st October 2014 when he was 10 years old.

THE DISPUTED FACTS

Rupert’s case is that he was walking past the Defendant’s shop as the Defendant was using a bungee rope with metal hooks to close the shop shutters. The bungee rope that the Defendant was using flicked off the shutter and struck Rupert in the eye causing serious injury.
The Defendant admits that Rupert suffered an injury however he is not aware of how the injury happened. He denies that he was using a bungee rope with hooks to close the shop shutters and that Rupert was injured in the way alleged.

(1) The Claimant’s case is that he was injured by a bungee rope operated by the Defendant.

(2) The Defendant’s case is that Rupert was injured some distance from his premises.

THE ISSUES: LIABILITY

(1) How Rupert came to be injured.

(2) Whether the Defendant was negligent.

(3) Whether the Defendant’s negligence caused Rupert’s injuries.

There is only one medical report, the Defendant has not sought to obtain his own report, nor has have any questions been put to the expert.

(1) There is no claim for special damage.

(2) There is no agreement in relation to general damages. (Any agreement would require approval from the Court in any event because Rupert is a minor).

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Case Summary

Studying the law can be very confusing and demanding. The law in itself is very complicated and things stated can sometimes mean differently than the literal. However, even if it can get confusing it is important to study the law in order for you to fully understand the how it works and why it is implemented in the first place. You may also see summary writing examples and samples.

What is a Case Summary?

A case summary is a brief document that outlines the key facts, legal issues, and outcomes of a legal case. It simplifies the complex details of the case for easy understanding and reference, highlighting the court’s decision and the rationale behind it. Case summaries are essential tools in legal studies and practice for quick analysis and reference.

Case Summary Format

Case Name : Include the full name of the case (e.g., Brown v. Board of Education). Citation : Provide the legal citation (e.g., 347 U.S. 483 (1954)).

Introduction

Background : Briefly introduce the context and background of the case. Parties Involved : Name the parties involved in the case (plaintiff vs. defendant).

Situation Overview : Outline the key facts and events leading up to the legal dispute. Relevant Details : Highlight any specific details that are crucial to understanding the case’s context.

Legal Issues

Questions at Hand : Identify the main legal questions or issues that the court needed to resolve.

Arguments Presented

Plaintiff’s Arguments : Summarize the main arguments or claims made by the plaintiff. Defendant’s Arguments : Summarize the main arguments or claims made by the defendant.

Decision and Rationale

Court’s Decision : State the outcome of the case (who won and the verdict). Legal Reasoning : Explain the court’s reasoning and the legal principles applied in reaching its decision.

Significance of the Case

Implications : Discuss the case’s implications for future legal interpretations, law, or society. Precedents Set : If applicable, mention any legal precedents the case established.

Summary : Conclude with a brief recap of the case’s importance and its impact on the legal landscape.

Sources : List any additional sources or references used in preparing the case summary.

The Purpose of a Case Summary

Simplifying Complex Information : To distill lengthy and complex legal rulings into concise, understandable formats.
Quick Reference : To provide a quick and accessible reference to the essential facts, legal issues, and outcomes of a case.
Educational Tool : To serve as an educational resource for law students and others learning about legal principles and case law.
Legal Research Aid : To facilitate legal research by offering summaries of key cases, making it easier to identify and understand relevant legal precedents.
Preparation for Legal Proceedings : To assist lawyers and legal professionals in preparing for court appearances, negotiations, or client advisories by summarizing pertinent cases.
Highlighting Legal Reasoning : To outline the court’s reasoning and the legal principles applied, aiding in the understanding of how legal decisions are made.
Time Efficiency : To save time for legal professionals and students by providing quick access to the essence of a case without the need to read through the entire judgment.
Case Management : To help manage and organize legal cases by summarizing and cataloging important case details and outcomes for future reference.

Types of Case Summary

Legal Case Summary : Focuses on legal cases, outlining the facts, legal issues, arguments, decisions, and reasoning of the court.
Medical Case Summary : Summarizes patient cases, including medical history, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes, often used in medical education and research.
Business Case Summary : Provides an overview of business scenarios, including strategic challenges, actions taken, results, and lessons learned, useful for business studies and planning.
Educational Case Summary : Used in academic research, summarizing educational scenarios, methodologies, findings, and implications for practice or policy.
Technical Case Summary : Summarizes technical projects or problems, solutions implemented, results, and key takeaways, often used in engineering and IT.
Research Case Summary : Condenses research studies or experiments, highlighting the purpose, methodology, results, and conclusions.
Policy Case Summary : Outlines policy decisions, the rationale, implementation strategies, outcomes, and impacts, useful in public administration and policy studies.
Historical Case Summary : Provides concise overviews of historical events, significant figures, and outcomes, aiding in the study of history and social sciences.

Key Components of an Effective Case Summary

Case Name and Citation : The official name of the case and its citation for easy reference.
Background Information : A brief overview of the factual background and the events leading up to the legal dispute.
Parties Involved : Identification of the plaintiff(s) and defendant(s), including their roles and stakes in the case.
Legal Issues : A clear statement of the legal questions or issues that the court needed to decide.
Arguments Presented : A summary of the key arguments or positions taken by each party.
Court’s Decision : The outcome of the case, including which party prevailed and any specific orders or judgments made by the court.
Reasoning and Legal Principles : An explanation of the court’s reasoning and the legal principles or precedents it applied to reach its decision.
Significance : An assessment of the case’s significance, including its impact on future legal cases, legislation, or legal principles.
Concurring or Dissenting Opinions : If applicable, a brief overview of any concurring or dissenting opinions and their rationales.
Date of Decision : The date when the court delivered its decision, providing context in terms of legal history or development.

How to Write a Case Summary: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. read the full case.

Begin by thoroughly reading the entire case to understand the factual background, the legal issues involved, the arguments from both sides, and the court’s decision along with its reasoning.

2. Identify the Key Facts

Extract the essential facts of the case. This includes the parties involved, the nature of the dispute, and the specific circumstances that led to the legal confrontation.

3. Outline the Legal Issues

Identify the main legal questions or issues that the court needed to resolve. This could involve interpretations of the law, legal principles, or the application of law to the case’s facts.

4. Summarize the Arguments

Briefly describe the arguments made by each side. Highlight the key points raised in support of their positions, including any legal precedents or statutes they relied on.

5. Detail the Court’s Decision

Summarize the court’s ruling on the case. Include which party won, the reasons for the decision, and any legal principles the court established or applied.

6. Explain the Reasoning

Delve into the rationale behind the court’s decision. This involves explaining how the court interpreted the law, applied it to the facts of the case, and the precedents it considered.

7. Note the Significance

If applicable, mention the broader implications of the case. This could include its impact on future legal cases, changes to the law, or its significance in legal history.

8. Keep It Concise

Ensure your summary is clear and to the point. Use plain language and avoid unnecessary legal jargon. The goal is to make the case understandable to someone not familiar with the case or the law.

9. Review for Accuracy

Double-check your summary to ensure it accurately reflects the case’s facts, legal issues, and the court’s decision. Accuracy is paramount in legal writing.

10. Cite the Case

Finally, provide a proper citation for the case. This allows readers to locate the full text of the decision if they wish to delve deeper into the details.

The Role of Case Summaries

Efficient Research : Case summaries allow legal professionals and students to quickly identify relevant cases and understand their implications without having to read through entire judgments. This efficiency is crucial in legal research, where time is often of the essence.
Understanding Legal Precedents : They provide a clear overview of the legal precedents set by previous cases. This understanding is essential for formulating legal arguments and for predicting how current cases may be resolved based on past decisions.
Educational Purposes : For law students, case summaries are invaluable educational tools that aid in grasping complex legal concepts and learning how to apply them in real-world scenarios.
Preparation for Legal Practice : They prepare practitioners for court appearances and client consultations by providing quick access to relevant case law, ensuring that legal advice and courtroom arguments are well-informed and up to date.
Legal Analysis and Writing : Case summaries are often the starting point for deeper legal analysis and academic writing. They provide the foundational knowledge necessary for critiquing legal decisions or exploring their broader implications for the law and society.
Facilitating Discussion and Debate : By presenting the essential elements of cases succinctly, case summaries facilitate discussion and debate among legal professionals and scholars, helping to foster a deeper understanding of the law.

13+ Case Summary Examples

Case brief summary template.

Law Student Case Brief Summary Sheet Template

Case Summary Guide

Case Summary Format Example

Case Summary Template Example

Case Summary Example

Elements of a Case Summary

Since a case summary or case brief is primarily a tool used for studying, it should be structured to meet your own needs. Here are several basic components of a brief that are present in almost all brief styles:

Simply put, these are all the pertinent information and facts of the case. These are the important facts that heavily influence the case. You may also see examples of writing a narrative summary .
This is the issue or the problem that is addressed in the case. This pertains to the legal questions are posed by the appealing party.
This is the ruling of the court. This is about the decision of the court and how the court made its decision about the case. You may also like interview summary examples .
This is your explanation on why the court ruled the way that it did. The rationale is your personal explanation regarding the process of how and why the court decided on its ruling of the case.

Free Case Summary Example

Simple Case Brief Example

Sample Case Brief Summary

People Hall Sample Case Brief

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Case Summary

Overcomplicating the Summary : Avoid using unnecessary legal jargon or overly complex language. The goal is clarity and accessibility.
Including Irrelevant Details : Focus on the key facts, legal issues, and outcomes. Extraneous information can detract from the summary’s purpose.
Omitting Key Information : Make sure to include all crucial aspects of the case, such as the main legal issues, the court’s decision, and the rationale behind it.
Failing to Clearly Identify Legal Principles : Clearly articulate the legal principles or precedents established by the case, as these are often the most important takeaways.
Lack of Structure : A well-organized summary with clear headings and a logical flow is much easier to follow. Avoid presenting information in a disorganized manner.
Misinterpreting the Case : Ensure you have a thorough understanding of the case to avoid inaccuracies in your summary. Misinterpretation can mislead readers.
Neglecting the Court’s Reasoning : Merely stating the outcome without explaining the court’s reasoning omits a critical component of the case’s significance.
Forgetting to Cite Properly : Always provide a proper citation for the case at the beginning or end of the summary. This allows readers to find the full text if needed.
Not Reviewing for Accuracy and Completeness : Double-check your summary to ensure it accurately reflects the case’s facts and legal issues, and that it’s complete.
Ignoring the Case’s Broader Implications : When relevant, mention the broader legal and societal implications of the case to provide context and enhance understanding.

How Do You Read a Case Summary?

To read a case summary, start with the introduction to understand the context, then move through the sections detailing the facts, legal issues, arguments, court’s decision, and reasoning. Focus on understanding the legal principles and outcomes.

How Do You Write a Good Summary for a Case Study?

A good case study summary concisely outlines the situation, the problems or questions posed, the methodology or approach taken, key findings, and the implications or recommendations, maintaining clarity and coherence throughout.

What Does a Case Report Look Like?

A case report typically includes an introduction to the case, a detailed description of the case or patient scenario, the interventions or treatments applied, the outcomes observed, and a discussion on the implications and lessons learned.

How Long Should a Case Summary Be?

A case summary should ideally be brief, often ranging from one to two pages. It needs to succinctly capture the essence of the case, focusing on the most critical elements without extraneous details.

Why Are Case Summaries Important?

Case summaries distill complex legal judgments into accessible overviews, providing essential insights into the case’s facts, legal issues, and outcomes. They are crucial for legal education, research, and practice, facilitating quick and efficient understanding.

How Do You Write a Summary and Conclusion for a Case Study?

Summarize the case study by highlighting the main points, findings, and implications. The conclusion should reflect on the study’s significance, recommend actions based on findings, and suggest areas for future research or consideration.

How to Write a Case Report?

To write a case report, start with an introduction that outlines the reason for the report, describe the case with emphasis on unique aspects, detail the interventions made, present the outcomes, and conclude with the case’s broader implications.

What is an Example of a Case Study?

An example of a case study could be an analysis of a business strategy at a leading tech company, examining how its approach to innovation and market challenges led to its current market position, focusing on specific strategies and outcomes.

How Long Should a Case Report Be?

The length of a case report can vary but is typically concise, often between 500 and 1500 words. It should be long enough to provide a comprehensive overview of the case, yet concise enough to maintain reader interest and focus on key insights

In conclusion, if you a currently studying the law, props to you; it is not an easy feat. In fact even summary a case can be difficult and requires a lot of time and understanding. And perhaps the most important thing to remember before you even start briefing or summarizing a case is that read. If you feel like you know enough about the case read again; thoroughly and carefully so you can objectively comprehend the facts pertaining to the case to make an objective summary .

Case Summary Generator

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Legal Dictionary

The Law Dictionary for Everyone

The term case law refers to law that comes from decisions made by judges in previous cases. Case law, also known as “ common law ,” and “case precedent ,” provides a common contextual background for certain legal concepts, and how they are applied in certain types of case. How much sway case law holds may vary by jurisdiction , and by the exact circumstances of the current case. To explore this concept, consider the following case law definition.

Definition of Case Law

The law as established in previous court rulings; like common law, which springs from judicial decisions and tradition.

1860-1865 English common law

What is Case Law

Statutory laws are those created by legislative bodies, such as Congress at both the federal and state levels. While this type of law strives to shape our society, providing rules and guidelines, it would be impossible for any legislative body to anticipate all situations and legal issues. The court system is then tasked with interpreting the law when it is unclear how it applies to any given situation, often rendering judgments based on the intent of lawmakers and the circumstances of the case at hand. Such decisions become a guide for future similar cases.

In order to preserve a uniform enforcement of the laws, the legal system adheres to the doctrine of stare decisis , which is Latin for “stand by decided matters.” This means that a court will be bound to rule in accordance with a previously made ruling on the same type of case. Precedent, or case law, is binding on courts of the same level or lower, and applies only if there is no legislative statute created, or higher court ruling, that overrules it.

Example of Case Law Application

Stacy, a tenant in a duplex owned by Martin, filed a civil lawsuit against her landlord, claiming he had not given her enough notice before raising her rent, citing a new state law that requires a minimum of 90 days’ notice. Martin argues that the new law applies only to landlords of large multi-tenant properties. When the state court hearing the case reviews the law, he finds that, while it mentions large multi-tenant properties in some context, it is actually quite vague about whether the 90-day provision applies to all landlords. The judge , based on the specific circumstances of Stacy’s case, decides that all landlords are held to the 90-day notice requirement, and rules in Stacy’s favor.

A year later, Frank and Adel have a similar problem. When they sue their landlord, the court must use the previous court’s decision in applying the law. This example of case law refers to two cases heard in the state court, at the same level. The ruling of the first court created case law that must be followed by other courts until or unless either new law is created, or a higher court rules differently.

Case Law by Jurisdiction

Case law is specific to the jurisdiction in which it was rendered. For instance, a ruling in a California appellate court would not usually be used in deciding a case in Oklahoma. While there is no prohibition against referring to case law from a state other than the state in which the case is being heard, it holds little sway. Still, if there is no precedent in the home state, relevant case law from another state may be considered by the court.

Rulings made by federal appellate courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court, however, are binding on state courts. Such rulings become “binding precedent,” which must be adhered to by lower courts in future similar cases. Rulings by courts of “lateral jurisdiction” are not binding, but may be used as persuasive authority, which is to give substance to the party’s argument, or to guide the present court.

Case Law Search

Just a few years ago, searching for case precedent was a difficult and time consuming task, requiring people to search through print copies of case law, or to pay for access to commercial online databases. Today, the internet has opened up a host of case law search possibilities, and many sources offer free access to case law. Doing a case law search may be as easy as entering specific keywords or citation into a search engine. There are, however, certain websites that facilitate case law searches, including:

Google Scholar – a vast database of state and federal case law, which is searchable by keyword, phrase, or citations. Google Scholar also allows searchers to specify which level of court cases to search, from federal, to specific states.
Justia – a comprehensive resource for federal and state statutory laws , as well as case law at both the federal and state levels.
Public Library of Law – offers access to cases from the U.S. Supreme court since 1754, the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal since 1951, and from each state since 1997. In addition to allowing users to search by keyword, court, and case, the website provides tutorials on “ Finding a Case ,” and “ Searching Statutes .”

In addition, the Law Library of Congress offers a great deal of information on statutes, case law, and other legal issues. This includes a Guide to Law Online .

Dissecting Case Law Citations

Finding a relevant case law ruling, and inserting a reference to that case into a current legal pleading , is not enough to direct the court to the specific issue. In many instances, court rulings in the U.S. deal with multiple issues, and include drawn-out descriptions of how the court, especially an appellate or supreme court, came to its conclusion. Because of this, simply citing the case is more likely to annoy a judge than help the party’s case. Think of it as calling someone to tell them you’ve found their lost phone, then telling them you live in such-and-such neighborhood, without actually giving them an address. Driving around the neighborhood trying to find their phone is likely to be more frustrating than it’s worth.

For legal professionals, there are specific rules regarding case citation, which vary depending on the court and jurisdiction hearing the case. Proper case law citation in a state court may not be appropriate, or even accepted, at the U.S. Supreme Court. Generally speaking, proper case citation includes the names of the parties to the original case, the court in which the case was heard, the date it was decided, and the book in which it is recorded. Different citation requirements may include italicized or underlined text, and certain specific abbreviations.

In the United States, people are not required to hire an attorney to represent them in either civil or criminal matters. Laypeople navigating the legal system on their own can remember one rule of thumb when it comes to referring to case law or precedent in court documents: be as specific as possible, leading the court, not only to the case, but to the section and paragraph containing the pertinent information. The Cornell Law School website offers a variety of information on legal topics, including citation of case law, and even provides a video tutorial on case citation .

Case Law Example in Civil Lawsuit Against Child Services

In 1996, the Nevada Division of Child and Family Services (“DCFS”) removed a 12-year old boy from his home to protect him from the horrible physical and sexual abuse he had suffered in his home, and to prevent him from abusing other children in the home. The boy was placed in an emergency foster home, and was later shifted around within the foster care system. The DCFS social worker in charge of the boy’s case had the boy made a ward of DCFS, and in her 6-month report to the court, the worker elaborated on the boy’s sexual abuse history, and stated that she planned to move him from a facility into a “more homelike setting.” The court approved her plan.

In 1997, the boy was placed into the home of John and Jane Roe as a foster child. Although the couple had two young children of their own at home, the social worker did not tell them about the boy’s history of both being abused, and abusing other children. When she made her report to the court the following day, the worker reported the boy’s placement in the Roe’s home, but didn’t mention that the couple had young children. She did note that the boy still needed extensive therapy in order to cope with his abusive past, and “to reach the point of being safe with other children.” The boy was receiving counseling with a DCFS therapist. Again, the court approved of the actions.

The Roes accompanied the boy to his therapy sessions. When they were told of the boy’s past, they asked if their children were safe with him in their home. The therapist assured them that they had nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, that was not true. Just two months after being placed with the Roe family, the Roe’s son told his parents that the boy had molested him. The boy was arrested two days later, and admitted to having sexually molested the couple’s son several times.

On June 16, 1999, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of the boy by a guardian ad litem , against DCFS, the social worker, and the therapist. A similar lawsuit was also filed on behalf of the Roe’s victimized son by a different guardian ad litem. The defendants petitioned the trial court for a dismissal based on absolute immunity , as they were all acting in their jobs with DCFS. If granted absolute immunity, the parties would not only be protected from liability in the matter, but could not be answerable in any way for their actions. When the court delayed making such a ruling, the defendants took their request to the appellate court.

In determining whether employees of DCFS are entitled to absolute immunity, which is generally held by certain government officials acting within the scope of their employment, the appellate court referred to case law previously rendered on similar cases. The appellate court determined that the trial court had not erred in its decision to allow more time for information to be gathered by the parties – specifically regarding the issue of absolute immunity.

Related Legal Terms and Issues

Binding Precedent – A rule or principle established by a court, which other courts are obligated to follow.
Lateral Jurisdiction – A court at the same level.
Persuasive Authority – Prior court rulings that may be consulted in deciding a current case. It may be used to guide the court, but is not binding precedent.

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The beginner’s guide to writing an effective business case

Nearly every project needs to be approved—whether that means getting the simple go-ahead from your team or gaining the support of an executive stakeholder. You may be familiar with using a project plan or project charter to propose a new initiative and get the green light for a project. But if your proposed project represents a significant business investment, you may need to build a business case.

If you’ve never written a business case, we’re here to help. With a few resources and a little planning, you can write a business case that will help you get the resources and support you need to manage a successful project.

What is a business case?

A business case is a document that explains the value or benefits your company will gain if you pursue a significant business investment or initiative. This initiative can be anything from the messaging for a new product or feature launch, a proposal to increase spend on a current initiative, or a significant investment with a new agency or contractor—to name a few. A compelling business case will outline the expected benefits of this significant investment decision. Key stakeholders will use the business case you provide to determine whether or not to move forward with an initiative.

If you’ve never created a business case, it may sound similar to other early project planning documentation. Here’s how it stacks up:

The difference between a business case and business plan

A business case is a proposal for a new strategy or large initiative. It should outline the business needs and benefits your company will receive from pursuing this opportunity.

A business plan , on the other hand, is an outline for a totally new business. Typically, you’d draft a business plan to map out your business strategy, your mission and vision statements, and how you’re planning on getting there. There may be a case where you create a business plan for an already-existing business, but you’d only do so if you’re trying to take your business in a significantly new direction.

Business case vs. executive summary

Business case vs. project charter.

If you need to create an elevator pitch for your project but you don’t quite need the full business case treatment, you might need a project charter. Much like a business case, a project charter outlines key details of an initiative. Specifically, a project charter will cover three main elements of your project: project objectives, project scope, and key project stakeholders. Your management team will then use the project charter to approve further project development.

Do you need a business case?

Not every project needs a business case—or even a project charter. Plan to build a business case only for initiatives or investments that will require significant business resources. If you’re working on a smaller initiative, consider creating a project charter to pitch your project idea to relevant stakeholders.

Even if you don’t need to pitch your project to any stakeholders, you should be ready to answer basic questions about your proposed project, like:

What is this project’s purpose?

Why are we working on this project?

How does this project connect to organizational goals and objectives?

Which metrics will we use to measure the success of the project ?

Who is working on this project?

When is this project going to be completed?

5 steps for creating and pitching a business case

Your business case shouldn’t just include key facts and figures—it should also tell a story of why pursuing a particular investment or initiative is a good idea for your business. When in doubt, avoid jargon and be brief—but always focus on communicating the value of the project. If this is your first time creating a business case, don’t worry. Follow these five steps to create a solid one.

1. Gather input

You don’t have to write a business case on your own. Instead, make sure appropriate team members and stakeholders are contributing to the relevant sections. For example, the IT team should be involved in any tooling and timeline decisions, while the finance team should review any budget and risk management sections. If you’re creating a business case to propose a new initiative, product line, or customer persona, make sure you also consult subject matter experts.

2. Plan to write your business case out of order

Some of the first things that appear in your business case—like your executive summary—should actually be drafted last, when you have all of the resources and information to make an informed suggestion. Your executive summary will present all of your findings and make a recommendation for the business based on a variety of factors. By gathering all of those details first—like project purpose, financial information, and project risk—you can ensure your executive summary has all of the relevant information.

3. Build your business case incrementally

A business case describes a significant investment for your company. Similarly, simply writing a business case is a significant investment of your time. Not every initiative is right for your business—so make sure you’re checking your work with stakeholders as you go. You don’t want to sink hours and weeks into this document only for it to be rejected by executive stakeholders right off the bat.

Consider doing a “soft launch” with an outline of your business case to your project sponsor or an executive stakeholder you have a good relationship with to confirm this initiative is something you should pursue. Then, as you build the different sections of your business case, check back in with your key stakeholders to confirm there are no deal-breakers.

4. Refine the document

As you create sections of your business case, you may need to go back and refine other sections. For example, once you’ve finished doing a cost-benefit analysis with your financial team, make sure you update any budget-related project risks.

Before presenting your business case, do a final read through with key stakeholders to look for any sections that can be further refined. At this stage, you’ll also want to write the executive summary that goes at the top of the document. Depending on the length of your business case, your executive summary should be one to two pages long.

5. Present the business case

The final step is to actually present your business case. Start with a quick elevator pitch that answers the what, why, and how of your proposal. Think of this presentation as your chance to explain the current business need, how your proposal addresses the need, and what the business benefits are. Make sure to address any risks or concerns you think your audience would have.

Don’t go through your business case page by page. Instead, share the document with stakeholders before the presentation so they have a chance to read through it ahead of time. Then, after your presentation, share the document again so stakeholders can dig into details.

A business case checklist

Start with the why.

The first section of the business case is your chance to make a compelling argument about the new project. Make sure you draft an argument that appeals to your audience’s interests and needs. Despite being the first section in your business case, this should be the last section you write. In addition to including the traditional elements of an executive summary , make sure you answer:

What business problem is your project solving? This is your chance to explain why your project is important and why executive stakeholders should consider pursuing this opportunity.

What is your business objective ? What happens at the end of a successful project? How will you measure success—and what does a successful project mean for your business?

How does this business case fit into your overall company business strategy plan? Make sure your proposed business case is connected to important company goals . The initiative proposed in your business case should move the needle towards your company's vision statement .

Outline financials and the return on investment

At this point in your business case, you should outline the project finance fundamentals. Don’t expect to create this section on your own—you should draft this in partnership with your company’s finance team. In particular, this section should answer:

How much will this project cost? Even if the initiative is completely new to your company, do some research to estimate the project costs.

What does each individual component of the project cost? In addition to estimating the total overall cost, break down the different project costs. For example, you might have project costs for new tools and resources, competitive intelligence resourcing, agency costs, etc.

What is the expected return on investment (ROI)? You’ve talked about the costs—now talk about how your company will benefit from this initiative. Make sure to explain how you calculated the ROI, too.

How will this project impact cash flow? Cash flow is the amount of money being transferred into and out of your business. Significant investments are going to cost a lot of money, so they’ll negatively impact cash flow—but you should also expect a high ROI, which will positively impact cash flow.

What is the sensitivity analysis? Sensitivity analysis is a summary of how uncertain your numbers are. There will be a variety of variables that impact your business case. Make sure to explain what those variables are, and how that could impact your projections.

Preview project details

Your business case is proposing a new initiative. In addition to the financial risks, take some time to preview project details. For example, your business case should include:

Your project objectives and key project deliverables . What will happen at the end of the project? What are you expecting to create or deliver once the project is over?

Your project plan . A project plan is a blueprint of the key elements your team needs to accomplish in order to successfully achieve your project goals.

The project scope . What are the boundaries of your project? What exact goals, deliverables, and deadlines will you be working towards?

A list of relevant project stakeholders . Who are the important project stakeholders and key decision makers for this work? This can include the members of the project team that would be working on this initiative, executive stakeholders who would sponsor the project, and any external stakeholders who might be involved.

A general project roadmap in a Gantt-chart like view. At this stage in the process, you don’t need to provide a detailed project timeline, but you should outline a general sense of when each project stage will happen in relation to the others. To do this, create a project roadmap in Gantt-chart like software . Make sure to include any important project milestones in your roadmap as well.

Any important project dependencies. Is there anything that would get in the way of this project getting started? Does this work rely on any other work that’s currently in flight?

Discuss project risks

Once you’ve outlined the financial impact and important project details, make sure you include any potential project risks. If you haven’t already, create a project risk management plan for your business case. Project risk management isn’t the process of eliminating risk—instead, it’s about identifying, analyzing, and proactively responding to any potential project risks. Clearly defining each project risk and how that risk might impact your project can best equip you and the project team to manage and avoid those risks.

In the risk section of your business case, include:

A risk analysis of any potential project risks. What is the risk? How likely is it to happen? What is the priority level of this risk?

What, if any, assumptions you are making. In project risk management, assumptions are anything you think will be true about the project, without those details being guaranteed facts. Basing project decisions around an assumption can open your project up to risk. Make sure you ratify every project assumption to avoid jeopardizing project success.

Any comparable alternatives in the market. If you’re writing a business case to pitch a new product or angle in the market, evaluate anything that already exists. Could the alternative impact your financial assessment or project success?

Develop an action plan

In the final section of your business case, outline how you will turn this business case into an actionable project. This section should answer questions like:

How will decisions be made? Who is responsible for the project? Who is the project sponsor? If you haven’t already, consider creating a RACI chart to outline project responsibilities.

How will progress be measured and reported? Not every project stakeholder needs to be notified of every project change. Outline key parts of your project communication plan , as well as how you’ll communicate project status updates .

What is the next course of action? If the management team ratifies this business case, what next steps will you take to put this into action?

Bring your business case to life

You’ve built a solid business case and it’s been ratified—congratulations! The next step is to bring your business case to life. It can be intimidating to initiate large-scale change , and implementing your business case is no exception.

If you haven’t already, make sure you have a project management tool in place to manage and organize your new initiative. With a central source of truth to track who’s doing what by when, share status updates, and keep project stakeholders in the loop, you can turn a great business case into a successful project.

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Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE)

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Computer-aided software engineering (CASE) is the implementation of computer-facilitated tools and methods in software development. CASE is used to ensure high-quality and defect-free software. CASE ensures a check-pointed and disciplined approach and helps designers, developers, testers, managers, and others to see the project milestones during development.

CASE can also help as a warehouse for documents related to projects, like business plans, requirements, and design specifications. One of the major advantages of using CASE is the delivery of the final product, which is more likely to meet real-world requirements as it ensures that customers remain part of the process.

CASE illustrates a wide set of labor-saving tools that are used in software development. It generates a framework for organizing projects and to be helpful in enhancing productivity. There was more interest in the concept of CASE tools years ago, but less so today, as the tools have morphed into different functions, often in reaction to software developer needs. The concept of CASE also received a heavy dose of criticism after its release.

What is CASE Tools?

The essential idea of CASE tools is that in-built programs can help to analyze developing systems in order to enhance quality and provide better outcomes. Throughout the 1990, CASE tool became part of the software lexicon, and big companies like IBM were using these kinds of tools to help create software.

Various tools are incorporated in CASE and are called CASE tools, which are used to support different stages and milestones in a software development life cycle.

Types of CASE Tools:

Diagramming Tools: It helps in diagrammatic and graphical representations of the data and system processes. It represents system elements, control flow and data flow among different software components and system structures in a pictorial form. For example, Flow Chart Maker tool for making state-of-the-art flowcharts.
Computer Display and Report Generators: These help in understanding the data requirements and the relationships involved.
(i) Accept 360, Accompa, CaseComplete for requirement analysis.
(ii) Visible Analyst for total analysis.
Central Repository: It provides a single point of storage for data diagrams, reports, and documents related to project management.
Documentation Generators: It helps in generating user and technical documentation as per standards. It creates documents for technical users and end users. For example, Doxygen, DrExplain, Adobe RoboHelp for documentation.
Code Generators: It aids in the auto-generation of code, including definitions, with the help of designs, documents, and diagrams.
Tools for Requirement Management: It makes gathering, evaluating, and managing software needs easier.
Tools for Analysis and Design : It offers instruments for modelling system architecture and behaviour, which helps throughout the analysis and design stages of software development.
Tools for Database Management: It facilitates database construction, design, and administration.
Tools for Documentation: It makes the process of creating, organizing, and maintaining project documentation easier.

Advantages of the CASE approach:

Improved Documentation: Comprehensive documentation creation and maintenance is made easier by CASE tools. Since automatically generated documentation is usually more accurate and up to date, there are fewer opportunities for errors and misunderstandings brought on by out-of-current material.
Reusing Components: Reusable component creation and maintenance are frequently facilitated by CASE tools. This encourages a development approach that is modular and component-based, enabling teams to shorten development times and reuse tested solutions.
Quicker Cycles of Development: Development cycles take less time when certain jobs, such testing and code generation, are automated. This may result in software solutions being delivered more quickly, meeting deadlines and keeping up with changing business requirements.
Improved Results : Code generation, documentation, and testing are just a few of the time-consuming, repetitive operations that CASE tools perform. Due to this automation, engineers are able to concentrate on more intricate and imaginative facets of software development, which boosts output.
Achieving uniformity and standardization: Coding conventions, documentation formats and design patterns are just a few of the areas of software development where CASE tools enforce uniformity and standards. This guarantees consistent and maintainable software development.

Disadvantages of the CASE approach:

Cost: Using a case tool is very costly. Most firms engaged in software development on a small scale do not invest in CASE tools because they think that the benefit of CASE is justifiable only in the development of large systems.
Learning Curve: In most cases, programmers’ productivity may fall in the initial phase of implementation, because users need time to learn the technology. Many consultants offer training and on-site services that can be important to accelerate the learning curve and to the development and use of the CASE tools.
Tool Mix: It is important to build an appropriate selection tool mix to urge cost advantage CASE integration and data integration across all platforms is extremely important.

Conclusion:

In today’s software development world, computer-aided software engineering is a vital tool that enables teams to produce high-quality software quickly and cooperatively. CASE tools will probably become more and more essential as technology develops in order to satisfy the demands of complicated software development projects.

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Karen Read murder trial witness Allie McCabe breaks down in tears describing harassment in case

By Matt Schooley

Updated on: May 16, 2024 / 1:27 PM EDT / CBS Boston

DEDHAM – The high-profile Karen Read murder trial resumed on Wednesday, with witness Allie McCabe breaking down in tears on the stand describing what she called harassment involving the case.

Read is accused of fatally hitting her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe with her SUV after a night of drinking and leaving him to die in the snow. Her defense team argues that O'Keefe was killed during a fight inside Brian Albert's home, then dragged outside.

Prosecution calls Colin Albert to testify

Colin Albert took the stand Wednesday afternoon following emotional testimony from Allie McCabe . Colin and Allie are friends but have mutual cousins.

Allie McCabe is the daughter of Jennifer McCabe, who was with Read and another woman when they discovered O'Keefe's body in the snow around 6 a.m. on January 29, 2022.

Read's attorneys have claimed Jennifer McCabe played a key role in the alleged coverup. They also have claimed that Colin Albert was one of the men involved in a fight inside the home.

Under direct questioning, Colin Albert said he was drinking at Brian Albert's home the night of O'Keefe's death, but left around midnight. He said he never saw John O'Keefe the night he died.

He talked about hugging and kissing his parents goodnight when he returned home, something his father Christopher Albert testified about earlier in the trial.

With prosecution done questioning Colin Albert, court ended for the day. He will return to the stand Thursday morning for cross-examination.

The defense suggests O'Keefe was inside Brian Albert's home and Colin could have been there with him.

"It is not up to us to solve this case," Read's attorney David Yannetti said outside court Wednesday. "We think that there are multiple suspects that the police completely failed to investigate."

Witness breaks down in tears on stand

During her testimony, Allie McCabe broke down in tears when describing what she called "harassment" by "bloggers, people online."

Prosecutor Adam Lally asked what the harassment was related to Colin Albert.

"Colin wasn't at the house. He's being harassed for … he was not at the house when John [O'Keefe] was there. I drove him home. People are harassing him saying he was at the house when it's not true. ... Constant phone calls. Emails. Awful messages," Allie McCabe said.

Lally asked specifically what the McCabe family has experienced regarding harassment.

"People showing up at our house, people emailing my school. Just a lot of harassment. Can I have a moment please?" she said through tears, pausing her testimony briefly.

Allie McCabe said the harassment has gone on for "a very long time" before ending her testimony.

Text messages with Colin Albert

Earlier in the day, Lally asked to submit text messages between Allie McCabe and Colin Albert as evidence. Defense attorney David Yannetti objected, leading to questioning without jurors present.

With jurors out of the room, Yannetti asked if Allie McCabe was aware it is possible to change time stamps on messages. She said she did not know that.

Judge Beverly Cannone allowed the text messages into evidence. With jurors back in the room, Lally displayed the messages.

At 11:54 p.m. on January 28, 2022, Colin Albert texted "U can get me now. If easier." Allie McCabe replied a minute later, saying "ok i am driving ppl home now." Colin Albert replied, "Word" followed by "Get me after."

At 12:10 a.m. on January 29, 2022, Allie McCabe messaged "here" and Colin Albert replied "Ok." Colin Albert said he came outside about 30 seconds later.

Lally then displayed photographs of Colin Albert that were taken about two weeks after O'Keefe's death. The prosecutor asked Allie McCabe if that is what she recalls Colin Albert looking like, including his face and hands, that night. She said yes.

On cross-examination, Yannetti asked about the possibility that time stamps could be changed or messages could be deleted. Allie McCabe testified similarly to her responses earlier, saying she did not know you could change timestamps.

Black SUV on Fairview Road

Ryan Nagel, the brother of previous witness Julie Nagel , testified on Wednesday. Julie Nagel was on the stand earlier in the week, saying that while leaving Brian Albert's home she saw a "black blob" in the lawn.

Julie Nagel had testified that initially she called her brother to come pick her up, but when he arrived in his friend's truck she told him she was going to stay a bit longer.

Ryan Nagel said that he and two friends arrived on Fairview Road around the same time as a black SUV. Read was driving a black Lexus SUV at the time of O'Keefe's death.

According to Ryan Nagel, he noticed the brake lights on the SUV, but not parking lights. He said he never saw anyone get out of the vehicle or go into the house.

Ryan Nagel testified that after his sister went back inside the home, the group pulled around the SUV and drove off.

He said he saw a woman behind the wheel with her hands on the steering wheel.

On cross-examination, defense attorney Alan Jackson asked the witness if he noticed any damage to the SUV.

"I mean I had been drinking, I wasn't looking for damage on her car. I just noticed brake lights," Ryan Nagel said, testifying earlier that he had 5-8 beers at a nearby bar before coming to the house.

Ryan Nagel also testified that he never saw the SUV hit a pedestrian, and never saw a person in the lawn.

Who was in the SUV?

Heather Maxon, Ryan Nagel's ex-girlfriend, was in the back seat of the pickup truck the night the group says they pulled up behind Read. She took the stand after Ryan Nagel.

Maxon said that while driving in the neighborhood, she noticed a woman driving the SUV and a man in the passenger seat when the vehicle turned onto Fairview Road.

She testified that she never saw anyone get out of the SUV while waiting outside the house.

Ricky D'Antuono was next on the stand. He drove Maxon and Ryan Nagel in the pickup truck that night.

On cross-examination, D'Antuono said he did not hear any arguing, and never saw the SUV strike anyone.

Dog DNA expert takes stand

Teri Kun from the University of California, Davis veterinary genetics lab, took the stand Wednesday morning. Prior to Kun taking the stand, Cannone warned jurors that sometimes witnesses must be called out of order due to their schedule.

Kun said her lab received two swabs to be tested related to Read's murder trial.

Read's defense attorneys have argued that during an alleged fight inside Brian Albert's home, O'Keefe was attacked by the family's dog Chloe. Brian Albert and his wife Nicole Albert testified that the German Shepherd mix was rehomed after an unrelated attack in May 2022.

According to Kun, the lab was asked to test the swabs to determine a species from the sample.

"We did not see any canine DNA," Kun said.

Kun said the samples did test positive for pig DNA, which she testified can come from food. Defense attorneys pointed out that pig DNA could also have come from dog treats.

On cross-examination, Jackson focused on the collection of the samples and the techniques used. Kun said she was not on hand when the samples were collected.

"I have no idea how the agency collected the swabs," Kun said.

Kun said that during one of the tests, dirt and blood can be inhibitors.

"Were you told in this instance that these swabs were taken from a garment with blood?" Jackson asked.

"No," Kun replied, answering follow-up questions saying that garment dye can also be an inhibitor.

What has happened this week in the Karen Read case?

On Tuesday, Julie Nagel , a friend of Brian Albert Jr.'s took the stand. She testified that while leaving 34 Fairview Road, the home owned by her friend's father, she saw "something out of the ordinary … like a black blob on the ground." Julie Nagel said she saw the object in the area where O'Keefe's body was later found, but she didn't know what it was.

Julie Nagel was still on the stand when Tuesday's proceedings ended for the day. She returned to the stand briefly on Wednesday to complete her testimony.

Jackson said after court that it was a "made-up story."

"Their case is falling down around their feet. Every day it seems to crumble that much more," Jackson said.

On Monday, Brian Albert was on the stand for tense cross-examination. He was questioned about why he got rid of his cellphone the day before he was sent a preservation notice for his data.

Brian Albert testified during direct questioning and cross-examination that Read and O'Keefe never entered his home.

Who is Karen Read?

Read is charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence of alcohol, and leaving the scene of personal injury and death.

The 45-year-old Massachusetts woman has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

Read's supporters, many holding "Free Karen Read" signs or wearing shirts with the slogan, have been present outside Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham throughout the trial. They are required to remain at least 200 feet away from Norfolk Superior Court in a "buffer zone" set by Cannone in an effort to maintain an unbiased jury.

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Matt Schooley is a digital producer at CBS Boston. He has been a member of the WBZ news team for the last decade.

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Veterinary Guidance

About hantavirus

Hantaviruses are a family of viruses which can cause serious illnesses and death.
These viruses cause diseases like hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).
They are spread mainly by rodents and are not spread from person-to-person.

A colorful microscopic image of Hantavirus

Hantaviruses can infect and cause serious disease in people worldwide. People get hantavirus from contact with rodents like rats and mice, especially when exposed to their urine, droppings, and saliva. It can also spread through a bite or scratch by a rodent, but this is rare.

Hantaviruses cause two syndromes. Hantaviruses found in the Western Hemisphere, including here in the U.S., can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). The most common hantavirus that causes HPS in the U.S. is spread by the deer mouse.

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a group of clinically similar illnesses caused by hantaviruses found mostly in Europe and Asia. However, Seoul virus, a type of hantavirus that causes HFRS, is found worldwide, including in the United States.

Signs and symptoms

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (hps).

HPS is a severe and potentially deadly disease that affects the lungs. Symptoms of HPS usually start to show 1 to 8 weeks after contact with an infected rodent.

Early symptoms can include:

muscle aches, especially in the large muscle groups like the thighs, hips, back, and sometimes shoulders

About half of all HPS patients also experience:

abdominal problems, like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain

Four to 10 days after the initial phase of illness, the late symptoms of HPS appear. These symptoms include coughing and shortness of breath. Patients might experience tightness in the chest, as the lungs fill with fluid.

HPS can be deadly. Thirty-eight percent of people who develop respiratory symptoms may die from the disease.

Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS)

HFRS is a severe and sometimes deadly disease that affects the kidneys. Symptoms of HFRS usually develop within 1 to 2 weeks after exposure. In rare cases, they may take up to 8 weeks to develop. Initial symptoms begin suddenly and include:

intense headaches
back and abdominal pain
fever/chills
blurred vision

People may have flushing of the face, inflammation or redness of the eyes, or a rash. Later symptoms can include:

low blood pressure
lack of blood flow (acute shock)
internal bleeding (vascular leakage)
acute kidney failure, which can cause severe fluid overload

The severity of the disease varies depending on the virus causing the infection. Hantaan and Dobrava virus infections usually cause severe symptoms where 5-15% of cases are fatal. In contrast, Seoul, Saaremaa, and Puumala virus infections are usually more moderate with less than 1% dying from the disease. Complete recovery can take several weeks to months.

Reducing risk

Eliminate or minimize contact with rodents in your home, workplace, or campsite to reduce your risk of exposure to hantaviruses. Seal holes and gaps in your home or garage to keep rodents from entering these spaces. Place traps in and around your home to decrease rodent infestation. Clean up any easy-to-get food, that might attract rodents.

Diagnosing hantavirus in a person who has been infected less than 72 hours is difficult. If the initial test is done before the virus can be detected, repeat testing is often done 72 hours after symptom start. Early symptoms such as fever, headache muscle aches, nausea, and fatigue are easily confused with influenza.

A diagnosis of HPS or HFRS may be considered in a patient with exposure to rodents and signs and symptoms compatible with HPS and HFRS. If you suspect hantavirus disease, see a physician immediately and mention a potential rodent exposure.

A diagnosis can be reached through testing at a state laboratory or CDC. If you have any questions or concerns regarding submitting a specimen or any public health emergency, please contact your state or local health department or contact the CDC's Emergency Operations Center at 770-488-7100.

Treatment and recovery

There is no specific treatment for hantavirus infection. Patients should receive supportive care, including rest, hydration, and treatment of symptoms.

HPS can cause breathing difficulties, and patients may need breathing support, such as intubation. Intubation is a medical procedure where a tube is placed in the lungs from the mouth to help the patient get oxygen.

HFRS can disrupt kidney function. Patients with HFRS may need dialysis to remove toxins from the blood and maintain the right balance of fluids in the body when the kidneys aren't working well.

Learn about Hantavirus, how it spreads and how to protect yourself.

For Everyone

Health care providers.

Trump trial recap: Michael Cohen says he was 'knee deep' in 'cult of Donald Trump'

NEW YORK − Michael Cohen faced stern questioning from Donald Trump's defense team Tuesday in the former president's hush money trial. This was the defense's first crack at Cohen after the disbarred lawyer told jurors Monday that he was following Trump's orders when he bought porn star Stormy Daniels' silence about an alleged affair with Trump.

But Trump attorney Todd Blanche avoided addressing the specifics of the payoff at the center of the case, while working to show that Cohen, Trump's onetime attorney and fixer, may have had motive to lie about his former boss. At one point he asked if Cohen had been "obsessed" with Trump, whom he once idolized.

Trump is charged with falsifying business records to cover up the true purpose of his reimbursements to Cohen − an effort save his candidacy from damaging disclosures in the waning weeks of the 2016 presidential election.

Cohen bolstered the prosecution's case Tuesday, testifying that he made the payment to Daniels "to ensure that the story would not come out, would not affect Mr. Trump's chances of becoming president of the United States."

That testimony showed why Cohen is a star witness for the prosecution, but Cohen's cross-examination could become more combative on Thursday, given Trump and Cohen's history of hurling insults at one another.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Here are highlights from Tuesday's proceedings:

Trump calls cross-examination of Cohen ‘a very good day’

Former President Donald Trump said that, while he was prevented from talking about his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, because he’s a witness in the money trial, his team’s cross-examination is going well.

“Today we had a very good day,” Trump said as he left the Manhattan courthouse. “The trial is going very well. It’s the fourth week,” he added later.

−Bart Jansen

More: Mike Johnson, Vivek Ramaswamy join chorus of Trump allies attacking Cohen amid trial

Cross-examination of Cohen so far largely avoids Trump charges

Blanche's cross-examination of Cohen this afternoon largely focused on questions about Cohen's hostility toward Trump and his possible motivation to help prosecutors. Blanche did ask Cohen one general question about his memory of calls with Trump in 2016, appearing to express skepticism of Cohen's earlier testimony about hush money and reimbursements.

However, Blanche largely avoided getting into details about the 2016 and 2017 activity that's at the heart of the business records case.

– Aysha Bagchi

Tuesday trial proceedings end

Judge Juan Merchan called an end to proceedings for today. Michael Cohen is set to retake the witness stand for more cross-examination on Thursday, after an off-day in the trial on Wednesday.

Trump lawyer indicates cross-examination of Michael Cohen could end Thursday

Judge Merchan excused the jury for the rest of the day. He then called up the lawyers for a private conversation at his bench, and afterwards asked Trump lawyer Todd Blanche in open court how much more cross-examination of Cohen remained. Blanche indicated he expects to be done by the end of Thursday.

As usual, there are no trial proceedings this Wednesday.

More: A guilty verdict? Donald Trump and allies are bracing voters for the worst

Cohen defends his reputation as 'fixer'

Blanche asked Michael Cohen a question that appeared to be a direct reference to former Trump aide Hope Hicks' earlier testimony . Hicks said Cohen used to call himself "a fixer" or "Mr. Fix-it," but she used to say that Cohen only fixed what he had first broken.

Blanche didn't mention that testimony, but asked Cohen whether – when he calls himself a fixer – those are things that he broke. "No, sir," Cohen said.

More: Donald Trump trial Friday recap: Former Trump aide Hope Hicks gets emotional on stand

Cohen says he hoped Manhattan DA would help reduce his federal criminal sentence

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche has been asking Cohen a series of questions about Cohen's federal prison sentence. The questions have gone on for a while and they've been a little plodding.

For example, Blanche asked Cohen about getting work credits and education credits from the Bureau of Prisons. Cohen said he put in an application based on those credits to help him with the home confinement portion of his sentence. Cohen remains under supervised release following his 2018 conviction on charges of lying to Congress, tax evasion, and violating federal election laws through payoffs to porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

Blanche appears to be wanting to show Cohen cooperated with the Manhattan district attorney's office during his time in prison to is motivated to get his sentence reduced . Cohen confirmed he wanted the DA to announce he was providing assistance in order to help with his efforts to ease his sentence.

Jurors highly attentive as Cohen is cross-examined

The jurors are paying close attention during Michael Cohen's testimony, and that's consistent with how they've appeared throughout this trial. Right now, you can see many of their heads turning towards Trump lawyer Todd Blanche as he asks a question, and shifting to Cohen as he answers.

Jurors share some small screens in front of their chairs in the jury box, where they are able to have a close look at evidence presented in the trial.

More: Freezing temps and colorful characters: Trump's hush money trial from the inside

What is the courtroom like?

Cohen was just brought back into the courtroom after a short afternoon break. Every time he enters or exits, he is guided to walk just in front of the first row of benches behind Trump's defense table. That means walking just in front of Trump's supporters – for instance, Eric Trump today. Cohen usually doesn't look at them as he is escorted past and then through a side door in the courtroom.

Cohen has already testified to having a long history not just with Trump, but at least to some extent with the Trump family. Eric Trump turned his head to the left and smirked yesterday when Cohen said he was disappointed his name wasn't included among those considered to become Trump's White House chief of staff, even though he also didn't believe the role was right for him or that he "was even competent."

More: Would cameras in the courtroom change Donald Trump's New York hush money trial?

For much of today, Donald Trump has appeared to be facing forward, instead of being directed to his right, where Cohen is seated in the witness box. However, Trump appears to be watching Cohen at least some of the time as he testifies this afternoon. I don't have my binoculars today and haven't been able to see Trump's eyes on screens in the courtroom. Yesterday morning, his eyes were closed for extended periods multiple times .

Before the lunch break today, as Cohen described turning on Trump and pleading guilty to tax- and election-related crimes, the mood in the room seemed sombre, as if taking in Cohen's description of the full arc of his life shifting dramatically.

Blanche's cross-examination of Cohen is less sombre, but doesn't yet feel as aggressive as many might have expected. Blanche's questions about Cohen's previous admiration for Trump seemed to create some connection between the witness and defendant, despite their current hostility.

'I was knee deep into the cult of Donald Trump'

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche asked Cohen to confirm he hadn't been lying when he said nice things about Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign.

"At that time, I was knee deep into the cult of Donald Trump, yes," Cohen said.

More: What happens if Trump is found guilty in hush money case? Prison is certainly an option.

Cohen on Trump: 'I admired him tremendously'

Trump lawyer Todd Blanch asked Cohen to confirm he enjoyed working with Trump. "Very much so," Cohen replied.

Blanche asked about Cohen's feelings on Trump's 1987 book, "Trump: The Art of the Deal." Cohen characterized it as an "excellent book." When Blanche asked Cohen to confirm he thought it was a "masterpiece," Cohen said: "Yes, masterpiece."

Cohen also said he saw himself in Trump, adding the adjective "innovative."

Blanche asked Cohen to confirm he had been obsessed with Trump.

"I don't know if I would characterize the word 'obsessed.' I admired him tremendously," Cohen said.

Cohen says he changed his views about Trump around summer of 2018

Cohen testified he changed his views about Trump around the summer of 2018. "It was around the time that I had gone on George Stephanopoulos," Cohen said.

Cohen tweeted a photo of himself in early July of 2018 with ABC News correspondent George Stephanopoulos, saying: "My silence is broken!"

In a summary of a conversation the pair had, Stephanopoulos said Cohen indicated he was willing to cooperate with federal prosecutors investigating him for possible election and financial crimes.

Cohen pleaded guilty to several federal crimes later in 2018.

"I would like to see accountability': Cohen under cross-examination

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche asked Cohen why he is on TikTok regularly, and Cohen responded that it's to build an audience, create community, and "to really vent" because he is having a difficult time sleeping.

In response to a follow-up question from Blanche, Cohen confirmed another of the reasons is to make money.

Cohen said he's on TikTok six days a week, and also estimated he mentions Trump on his TikTok sessions six days a week.

Blanche asked Cohen about saying on his podcast that he wants Trump to be convicted. "Sounds like something I would say," Cohen responded.

"I would like to see accountability. It's not for me – it's for the jury and this court," Cohen added.

Trump trial timeline: What does Donald Trump's courtroom schedule look like?

Trump’s hush money trial is expected to last six-to-eight weeks, according to a media advisory provided by New York’s Unified Court System before the trial started on April 15.

The courtroom normally opens at 9:30 a.m. eastern time, and the court takes off on Wednesdays. Judge Juan Merchan previously ruled that the court will break on May 17 so Trump can attend his son Barron Trump's high school graduation, and on May 24 due to a juror scheduling conflict.

– Sudiksha Kochi

Cohen insists he remembers his 2016 conversations with Trump

Blanche questioned Cohen's ability to recall very specific calls with Trump in 2016 while seeming less confident about requests from prosecutors not to comment about the case. Cohen did acknowledge prosecutors have raised the issue of his public comments, although he also invoked his First Amendment free speech rights.

But on his memory of calls with Trump, Cohen indeed said it was very good: "I remember all the conversations with President Trump, yes."

Cohen confirms saying Trump belongs in 'cage, like an animal'

Blanche asked Cohen to confirm this trial is personally important to him, and Cohen said it was.

Blanche then asked Cohen if he had said on April 23, during the trial, that Trump belongs in a "cage, like an animal." Cohen confirmed saying that.

Cohen asked about following trial coverage

Blanche asked Cohen about commenting on TikTok during the trial, when prosecution witness David Pecker was still on the stand, that from everything he had heard that day Pecker was corroborating what Cohen has been saying for six years.

Cohen confirmed he had done that, saying someone called him and told him that.

Blanche then asked if Cohen has been following what is happening in the courtroom on CNN and MSNBC. Cohen said he has watched those channels but "not religiously in order to follow the full extent of the trial." Cohen said he is interested in protests concerning Israel as well as in the trial.

Who is Todd Blanche?

In his historic hush money trial taking place in lower Manhattan, Donald Trump is relying on one person more than anyone else: his lead defense attorney, Todd Blanche .

In 2019, Blanche led the team representing former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort in a New York fraud case, in which he was accused of defrauding banks of more than $1 million by submitting false financial statements when applying for residential mortgage loans.

The judge in that case ultimately dismissed the charges, but Manafort was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison as a result of two other federal cases.

– Rachel Barber

Judge blocks Trump lawyer's 'crying little s---' question as Cohen cross-examination starts

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche opened his cross-examination of Michael Cohen by asking Cohen to confirm they've never met but Cohen knows who Blanche is. Cohen said that was true.

Blanche then asked Cohen to confirm he went on TikTok and called Blanche a "crying little s---."

The prosecution objected to the question and Judge Merchan quickly sustained the objection. When Blanche then asked Cohen if Cohen has commented on Trump lawyer Susan Necheles, the prosecution objected again and Merchan not only sustained the objection, but also called the lawyers up to his bench, perhaps to caution Blanche further on the line of questioning.

Trump arrives in courtroom

Former President Donald Trump entered the courtroom for the afternoon cross-examination of Michael Cohen at 2:10 p.m. EDT. Eric and Lara Trump, as well as Vivek Ramaswamy, are still with the Trump team this afternoon. They've now seated themselves in the first row of benches behind the defense table, where Trump and his lawyers are seated.

Prosecution team arrives for afternoon proceedings

The prosecution team entered the courtroom at 2:05 p.m. EDT for the afternoon proceedings. We're still waiting on the defense team, the judge, and the jury.

Who is Judge Juan Merchan?

New York Judge Juan Merchan who is presiding the first criminal trial in history of a former president, is no stranger to the defendant, Donald Trump.

Merchan presided over a 2022 tax-fraud trial of two parts of the Trump Organization, in which the company’s former chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, was convicted for not reporting $1.7 million in benefits, and he sentenced Weisselberg to five months in jail.

Trump has attacked Merchan as biased on the grounds that Merchan's daughter works for a marketing firm with Democratic politicians as clients, and he has twice unsuccessfully moved for Merchan to recuse himself from the case. Merchan has refused , citing the New York State Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics finding that the judge's impartiality couldn't be reasonably questioned based on his daughter's work.

Trump's attacks spurred Merchan to expand a gag order to limit his commentary about the family members of people involved in the trial. On the second day of the trial, Merchan chastised Trump for speaking to prospective jurors.

Merchan has been a felony judge for 15 years .

- Bart Jansen

Who is Stormy Daniels and what is her real name?

Stormy Daniels , born Stephanie Clifford, is an adult film star. Daniels says she had an affair with Trump in 2006, months after Melania Trump gave birth to Barron Trump. Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen paid her $130,000 to stay quiet about the alleged affair ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

Trump's lawyers tried to block Daniels from being called to the witness stand, but New York Judge Juan Merchan ruled that Daniels can testify because her allegations are "inextricably intertwined" with the criminal allegations.

- Kinsey Crowley , Bart Jansen

Who is Michael Cohen

Michael Cohen, the former Trump lawyer and fixer , is the key in the New York hush-money trial that could send the former president to prison.

Cohen testified that Trump directed him to engineer payments to two women who alleged in the runup to the 2016 presidential election that they had affairs with the married candidate.

While Cohen is Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's star witness, he may also be the prosecution's greatest vulnerability, given his history of perjury and a felony conviction.

- Josh Meyer

Cohen cross-examination to start after lunch break

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger indicated she had no further questions for Michael Cohen . Trump's defense team is set to begin its cross-examination at about 2:15 p.m. EDT, after a lunch break. Trump lawyer Todd Blanche was handling objections for the defense while Cohen has been testifying. Generally the same lawyer who handles objections for a particular witness questions that witness.

'Lying, bullying': Cohen describes his regrets

Prosecutor asked Cohen if he had any regrets about his past work or association with Donald Trump.

"I regret doing things for him that I should not have," Cohen said. "Lying, bullying people in order to effectuate the goal."

Cohen said he doesn't regret working with the Trump Organization, adding that there were some "very interesting" times.

"But to keep the loyalty and to do things that he had asked me to do, I violated my moral compass and I suffered the penalty, as has my family."

Trump dropped lawsuit seeking $500 million from Cohen

Cohen described Trump suing him for $500 million, saying the lawsuit was partly based on Cohen testifying to a grand jury.

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked Cohen about the effect the lawsuit had on him. "Financial, as well as emotional," Cohen said.

The lawsuit was brought in April of 2023, alleging Cohen made money from "fictionalized accounts" in his 2020 book, Disloyal: A Memoir . Trump said the accounts were prohibited by a confidentiality agreement.

Trump later dropped the lawsuit, and a judge ordered the case closed in October .

Read Trump's tweets after Cohen's guilty plea

Here are Donald Trump's two tweets from the day after Cohen pleaded guilty to federal crimes, which were shown to jurors today in Trump's hush money trial:

Trump tweets day after Cohen's guilty plea

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked Cohen about two tweets by Trump on Aug. 22, 2018 – the day after Cohen pleaded guilty to federal crimes. Cohen said he was aware of the Trump tweets on that day.

In the first tweet, Trump said: "If anyone is looking for a good lawyer, I would strongly suggest that you don't retain the services of Michael Cohen!"

In the second tweet, Trump posted that he "felt very badly" for his associate Paul Manafort, saying "unlike Michael Cohen, he refused to 'break' – make up stories in order to get a 'deal.' Such respect for a brave man!"

Cohen said he interpreted the tweets as expressing "certainly displeasure" about his decision to plead guilty.

Asked whether Cohen read in the tweets a message from Trump about whether Cohen should cooperate with the government, he said he interpreted them as saying: "No, do not cooperate."

Asked how the tweets affect him, Cohen said: "Caused a lot of angst, anxiety."

'Worst day of my life': Cohen describes pleading guilty to federal crimes

Cohen told jurors about pleading guilty to federal crimes on Aug. 21, 2018, including campaign finance violations and tax evasion.

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked what that day was like for him. "Worst day of my life," Cohen said.

Cohen says hush money to Stormy Daniels was for Trump campaign

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked Cohen why he paid $130,000 in hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels.

"To ensure that the story would not come out, would not affect Mr. Trump's chances of becoming president of the United States," Cohen said.

Hoffinger asked if Cohen would have paid the money if not for the campaign. "No, ma'am," he said.

On whose behalf "did you commit that crime?" Hoffinger asked. Cohen said it was on behalf of "Mr. Trump."

This is an important part of the prosecution's case . They are arguing Trump committed felonies because he falsified business records in order to conceal violating campaign finance laws through the Stormy Daniels hush money payment. Trump may want to argue the payment was about shielding his family, not helping the campaign.

Cohen describes switching loyalties

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger's questioning is moving into Cohen deciding to plead guilty to federal crimes, including to crimes tied to his involvement in the hush money deals with Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels.

Hoffinger asked Cohen where he decided his loyalty should be.

"To my wife, my daughter, my son, and the country," Cohen said.

‘American people have already acquitted Donald Trump’: Burgum

Two House Republicans and two former GOP rivals for the presidency served as proxies for former President Donald Trump outside the New York courthouse for his hush money trial, criticizing witness Michael Cohen and Judge Juan Merchan in ways that Trump can’t under his gag order.

Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla. , said Cohen filled out false invoices to the Trump Organization for reimbursement for paying $130,000 to porn actress Stormy Daniels, despite Trump being charged with falsification of business records.

“This is a joke, it is a farce, it is a travesty,” Donalds said.

Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., also criticized Cohen as a convicted liar.

“Michael Cohen has no credibility, no integrity,” Mills said. “This is weaponization against our president.”

Vivek Ramaswamy, a businessman who ran for the Republican presidential nomination, criticized Merchan because his daughter works with Democratic politicians, although a state ethics board cleared him to preside over the trial.

“This is some third-rate banana republic,” Ramaswamy said.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said the “scam trial” prevented Trump from campaigning against President Joe Biden on issues such as inflation, crime, border security and the economy. But he cited two recent polls that found Trump leading in swing states.

“The American people have already acquitted Donald Trump,” Burgum said.

– Bart Jansen

Cohen says lawyer proposed back channel to communicate with Trump

Michael Cohen described having a meeting with a lawyer named Robert Costello, who struck Cohen as "sketchy."

Cohen testified that Costello described himself as "incredibly close" to Rudy Giuliani , and that relationship "will be very beneficial" for Cohen going forward because Giuliani was close to and spending a "tremendous" amount of time with Trump.

Costello also said "this would be a great way to have a back channel communication to the president in order to ensure that you're still good and that you're still secure," according to Cohen.

Cohen said Costello met him with a retainer agreement, but Cohen told Costello was still meeting with other lawyers and didn't sign it.

New York appeals court upholds Trump gag order in hush money case

A New York court rejected former President Donald Trump’s appeal of the gag order in his hush money trial that prevents him from talking about witnesses or jurors.

Five judges on the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division's First Department ruled Tuesday that Judge Juan Merchan ruled correctly to protect the integrity of the trial.

“Justice Merchan properly determined that petitioner’s public statements posed a significant threat to the integrity of the testimony of witnesses and potential witnesses in this case as well,”

Judge Juan Merchan ordered Trump not to comment on witnesses or jurors to avoid intimidating or harassing participants in the trial. Merchan ruled Trump violated the gag order 10 times and fined him $10,000 – and threatened him with jail for future violations.

Gag orders were also upheld on appeal in Trump’s New York civil real estate fraud trial, where he was fined $15,000, and his federal election interference case.

But Trump, who contends the trial is political interference to keep him off the presidential campaign trail, has argued he has a First Amendment right to respond to his accusers.

“The gag order has to come off,” Trump told reporters Tuesday before entering the courtroom. “It’s a scam. It’s election interference.”

Liz Cheney: Mike Johnson joins Trump's 'I cheated on my wife with a porn star' club

The Trump defense surrogate drawing the most attention is House Speaker Mike Johnson – much of it referencing Johnson's strong Christian viewpoint.

"Have to admit I’m surprised that @SpeakerJohnson wants to be in the 'I cheated on my wife with a porn star' club," said former U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., on the social media site X.

"I guess he’s not that concerned with teaching morality to our young people after all."

The Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump political organization, said on X: "So good of pious Mike Johnson to show support for cheating on your wife with a porn star, paying her hush money to cover it up, and falsifying business records so America doesn’t find out about it before an election."

Johnson, one of several high-profile Republicans to travel to New York City to speak on Trump's behalf, said he wanted to appear because he believes the trial to be unfair, especially in an election year.

“These are politically motivated trials and they are a disgrace," Johnson told reporters.

– David Jackson

Trump tweets reinforced Cohen's loyalty, Cohen says

The jurors were again shown April 21, 2018 tweets by Trump praising Michael Cohen as "a fine person with a wonderful family," and saying while most people would flip if the government lets them out of trouble, Trump didn't see Cohen doing that.

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked how Trump's tweets affected Cohen. "Reinforced my loyalty and my intention to stay in the fold," Cohen said.

Cohen said he understood Trump didn't want him to cooperate with the government, to provide information, or to flip.

Read Trump's tweets here:

'(Trump's) Justice Department should go nowhere': Cohen describes effect of Trump call after FBI raid

"I was scared," Cohen said about how he felt at the time the FBI raided his office and he called Trump. "First time in my life anything like this. And I wanted some reassurance that Mr. Trump had my back, especially as this dealt with issues that related to him."

Cohen also described how Trump's message not to worry and everything was going to be fine impacted him.

"I felt reassured, because I had the president of the United States protecting me. His Justice Department should go nowhere. And so I felt reassured, and I remained in the camp," Cohen said.

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked Cohen what he meant by saying he stayed in the fold and in the Trump camp. Cohen confirmed to her that he stayed loyal to Trump and continued to lie about Trump's involvement.

'Don't worry. I'm the president of the United States.': Cohen describes last time he spoke to Trump

Cohen said he left a message for Trump to call him after his office was raided by the FBI . He said he wanted Trump to know what was taking place.

According to Cohen, Trump called him back and said:

"Don't worry. I'm the president of the United States. There's nothing here. Everything's going to be okay. Stay tough. You're going to be okay."

Cohen said that was the last time he spoke to Trump.

'Concerned. Despondent. Angry.': How Michael Cohen says he felt after FBI raid

Michael Cohen described being raided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation under a search warrant. Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger asked Cohen how he felt after that happened.

Cohen replied: "How to describe your life being turned upside down? Concerned. Despondent. Angry."

Hoffinger asked if Cohen was frightened. "Yes, ma'am," Cohen said.

Jurors instructed to ignore FEC investigation in assessing Trump's guilt

Jurors have now heard testimony about the Federal Election Commission having investigated the hush money to Daniels, as well as about the responses to the FEC from Cohen and his lawyer. Judge Merchan instructed jurors that, although they have heard that testimony, they cannot consider it when they are determining whether Trump is guilty of the 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Instead, Merchan said, the testimony is being permitted so they can assess Cohen's credibility and have context for surrounding events.

Remember, Trump is charged with felonies based on the prosecution's theory that Trump falsified business records in order to commit or conceal another crime . Prosecutors say Trump was concealing unlawful interference in the 2016 presidential election through a hush money payment to Daniels that violated campaign finance laws.

Read statement from Cohen lawyer to FEC

You can read the full Feb. 8, 2018 statement from Cohen's lawyer to the Federal Election Commission here:

Cohen describes 'misleading' denial to FEC on Daniels hush money reimbursement

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger showed jurors a Feb. 8, 2018 statement Cohen's lawyer made to the Federal Election Commission that Cohen just testified was intentionally misleading. The statement referred to "Ms. Clifford," the real name of porn star Stormy Daniels. One portion of it stated:

"Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford, and neither reimbursed Mr. Cohen for the payment directly or indirectly."

Cohen said that portion was literally true but intentionally misleading: it omitted that the Trump revocable trust as well as Trump personally reimbursed Cohen for the hush money he paid Daniels.

Cohen later pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations, including in relation to the Stormy Daniels hush money.

House Speaker Mike Johnson defends Trump

House Speaker Mike Johnson came to Trump’s defense Tuesday, echoing the former president’s criticism of the judge and prosecutor in the hush money trial and voicing what Trump can’t under his gag order by slamming witness Michael Cohen and the judge’s daughter.

“The judicial system in our country has been weaponized against President Trump,” the Louisiana Republican said. “The system is using all the tools at its disposal right now to punish one president, to provide cover for another.”

Cohen was Trump’s personal lawyer who arranged a $130,000 payment to keep Stormy Daniels quiet before the 2016 election about her claim of a sexual episode with Trump while he was married. Cohen has been convicted and imprisoned for lying to Congress about one of Trump’s real estate projects and to the Internal Revenue Service about his income.

“This is a man who is clearly on a mission for personal revenge and who is widely known as a witness who has trouble with the truth,” Johnson said of Cohen. “He has a history of perjury and is well known for it. No one should believe a word he says today.”

Judge Juan Merchan’s daughter does marketing work for Democratic politicians. A state ethics board cleared Merchan to preside over the case. But Johnson said the relationship demonstrates the Democratic priorities behind prosecuting the presumptive Republican nominee for president.

“They have him tied up here in this ridiculous prosecution that is not about justice, it is all about politics and everybody can see that,” Johnson said. “It’s so corrupt and everyone knows it.”

Cohen says he wanted to cash in as president's personal lawyer

Cohen testified that he wanted to monetize being named the president's personal attorney. He said he made $4 million from clients around that period.

Who is Allen Weisselberg?

Allen Weisselberg is a former chief financial officer at the Trump Organization who was sentenced to five months in jail for perjury during former President Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial last year.

Weisselberg had previously been sentenced to five months for tax fraud after falsifying Trump Organization business records and failing to report $1.7 million in benefits.

Justice Juan Merchan suggested prosecutors consider calling Weisselberg to testify in Trump’s ongoing case in New York Friday after Trump's legal team objected to prosecutors’ attempts to show jurors Weisselberg’s $750,000 severance agreement, POLITICO reported. Merchan ruled Monday that prosecutors can't show jurors that agreement.

Cohen says Trump's signatures are on checks

Michael Cohen was shown a series of checks that he said corresponded to the invoices he submitted in 2017, which he said were false invoices. Several of them, he said, had Trump's personal signature on them. Earlier witness testimony has also confirmed Trump's signature on checks that prosecutors say correspond to these invoices.

Cohen testifies he submitted false invoices

Jurors were shown an invoice Michael Cohen submitted in 2017 stating that he was submitting the invoice pursuant to a retainer agreement, which is an agreement about compensation that reserves a lawyers pays for future services. Cohen just told jurors that statement was false – the requested money wasn't pursuant to a retainer agreement.

Cohen's invoice also said the requested payment was for services rendered for January and February of 2017. Cohen testified that statement was also false. He already told jurors yesterday these payments were actually reimbursing him for paying porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 in hush money, as well as reimbursing him for another expense and paying him a bonus.

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger is continuing to show jurors invoices Cohen submitted in 2017, and he is continuing to testify that the invoices were false in similar ways.

When did Donald Trump marry Melania?

Melania Trump, born Melanija Knavs, married former President Donald Trump in January 2005. They have one son, Barron. He was born in March 2006.

Mike Johnson comes to Trump’s defense

House Speaker Mike Johnson will deliver remarks at 10:15 a.m. EDT at a park next to the Manhattan courthouse where Trump’s hush money trial is ongoing, according to a media advisory.

The advisory says that Johnson will discuss the “political persecution” of Trump by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and President Joe Biden’s “weaponized Department of Justice.” There is no evidence that Biden is behind the hush money trial.

Jury shown photo of Michael Cohen at White House

The jury again saw a photo of Michael Cohen at the White House. Here is a screenshot from the photo jurors were shown:

The photo, along with earlier testimony from former Trump White House aide Madeleine Westerhout , corroborates prosecutors' story that Cohen visited the White House in February of 2017. There was also testimony earlier in the trial that metadata associated with the photo indicates it was taken on Feb. 8, 2017.

Cohen testifying about 2017 invoice email

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger has started questioning Cohen. She showed jurors an email jurors have seen before of Jeffrey McConney , the former financial controller for the Trump Organization, asking Cohen in February of 2017 to send him invoices. McConney appears to reference Allen Weisselberg, the former chief financial officer of the Trump Organization.

The email stated: "Mike, Just a reminder to get me the invoices you spoke to Allen about. Thanks, Jeff"

Cohen enters the courtroom after lengthy lawyer-judge conversation

Michael Cohen entered the courtroom at 9:39 a.m. EDT for his second day of testimony in the trial. The judge spoke to the lawyers privately at his bench for several minutes before asking for Cohen to be brought in. We are now just waiting on the jury.

Is Michael Cohen married?

Michael Cohen is married and has two children, a son and a daughter. Cohen has been very protective of his family in the past, expressing fear that Trump's rhetoric could endanger them. Cohen said yesterday his marriage is going on 30 years.

Trump and supporters enter the courtroom

Donald Trump entered the courtroom at 9:25 a.m. EDT for Day 17 of his criminal trial. Today, Lara Trump, co-chair of the Republican National Committee, is here.

Lara Trump's husband and the former president's middle son, Eric Trump, is also here. He has attended multiple days of the trial.

And potential vice presidential pick on the Trump campaign ticket, Vivek Ramaswamy, is here.

Prosecution arrives for Day 17 of trial

The prosecution team entered the courtroom at 9:13 a.m. EDT. We are still waiting for the Trump defense team, Judge Juan Merchan, and the jury.

Trump supporters respond to posts criticizing judges with threats of violence

Judge Juan Merchan has ordered Donald Trump not to comment on witnesses or jurors, to avoid influencing in his New York hush trial, but a Reuters investigation found the former president’s social media posts about the judge and prosecutors inspired widespread threats of violence.

Trump has repeatedly called Merchan a “highly conflicted” judge and in an April 23 post on Truth Social, said he was presiding over a “kangaroo court.” Trump’s supporters swiftly replied with posts on the Patriots.win website, including “treason is a hangable offense” and “needs to be strangled with piano wire before he makes it to the hangman.”

Reuters documented more than 150 posts since March 1 calling for physical violence against judges in three Trump cases – Merchan, New York Judge Arthur Engoron in his civil fraud case and Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee in his Georgia election racketeering case. The posts were part of a larger pool of hundreds that included hostile, racist or sexualized langue to attack the judges short of explicitly calling for violence.

“Articulating these ideas is the first step along the pathway of mobilizing to violence,” said Mitch Silber, a former New York City Police Department director of intelligence analysis.

Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said the presumptive Republican presidential nominee has a right to criticize what he called “un-Constitutional witch hunts” and said “Democrats and crazed lunatics” have called for “despicable violence” against Trump.

--Bart Jansen

Was Michael Cohen disbarred?

Michael Cohen was disbarred after he pleaded guilty to multiple crimes in 2018, including lying to Congress.

A panel of New York state judges granted a request from a New York attorney grievance committee to strike Cohen's name from the official list of attorneys in New York state in February of 2019.

Cohen "ceased to be an attorney upon his federal conviction of making false statements to the United States Congress," the panel said in its opinion .

The move was retroactive, striking Cohen's name from the list as of the date he pleaded guilty to lying to Congress, Nov. 29, 2018.

– Aysha Bagch i

What was Michael Cohen convicted of?

In August 2018, Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to tax evasion, making false statements to a bank, and violating campaign finance laws by causing or issuing two hush money payments ahead of the 2016 election: $130,000 to porn star Stormy Daniels and $150,00 to model Karen McDougal, the latter of which was paid by American Media Inc. Those amounts greatly exceed the personal contribution limits to a political candidate.

In November 2018, Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements to Congress. In an effort to protect Trump, had told Congress his boss stopped trying to pursue a real-estate deal in Moscow in January 2016 when they actually continued efforts through June 2016.

Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison, according to a Department of Justice release .

House Speaker Mike Johnson to appear with Trump

House Speaker Mike Johnson will make an appearance in the courthouse with Trump on Tuesday morning, showing solidarity with the former president according to a person familiar with the planning.

Johnson joins a number of high-profile Republicans joining Trump in Manhattan to support the former president.

Punchbowl News was first to report Johnson’s appearance.

Michael Cohen recording with Trump

On Monday, jurors listened again to a recording of a conversation between Trump and Cohen. This time, Cohen was there to testify about it. He said the pair were discussing a hush money deal to silence former Playboy model Karen McDougal . She has alleged she had a months-long affair with Trump that overlapped with Melania Trump's pregnancy. Trump denies the claim.

On the recording , Cohen references "info regarding our friend, David." That was a reference to David Pecker, Cohen told jurors. Pecker has testified he agreed to be "eyes and ears" in Trump's 2016 presidential campaign efforts by helping identify potentially damaging stories to prevent them from being published.

Cohen and Trump also talk about "financing" on the recording. Cohen said he made the recording to reassure Pecker that Trump planned to pay him back for the hush money to McDougal.

You can listen to the recording here:

Michael Cohen court sketch

The New York criminal trial against former President Trump isn't televised. But courtroom sketch artists make renditions of court proceedings each day. Here is one sketch by Jane Rosenberg of Michael Cohen's testimony Monday, with prosecutor Susan Hoffinger questioning Cohen and Trump looking on:

What is Trump on trial for?

Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Prosecutors say the real estate mogul was trying to cover up unlawfully interfering in the 2016 presidential election through a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.

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Here is what Stormy Daniels testified happened between her and Donald Trump

All eyes are on porn actor Stormy Daniels, who took the stand in Donald Trump’s trial Tuesday and recounted the lead-up to meeting Trump and a 2006 sexual encounter she has said the two engaged in. Trump denies the encounter took place.

With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president’s hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006. (AP video by Joe Frederick)(AP produced by Javier Arciga)

Stormy Daniels, center, exits the courthouse at Manhattan criminal court in New York, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. Porn actor Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, took the stand mid-morning Tuesday and testified about her alleged sexual encounter with former President Donald Trump in 2006, among other things. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Porn actor Stormy Daniels is taking the witness stand in Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial. Trump faces 34 felony counts in connection to payments meant to stifle negative stories from surfacing in the final days of the 2016 presidential campaign.

Stormy Daniels testifies in Manhattan criminal court, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in New York, about the encounter in former President Donald Trump’s hotel penthouse, showing how she found Trump in his bedroom lying on his bed. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)

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Former President Donald Trump, joined by his attorney Susan Necheles, left, sits at the defense table in Manhattan criminal court, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, Pool)

In this courtroom sketch, Stormy Daniels testifies on the witness stand as Judge Juan Merchan looks on in Manhattan criminal court, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in New York.. A photo of Donald Trump and Daniels from their first meeting is displayed on a monitor. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)

Stormy Daniels, second from left, exits the courthouse in New York, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. Porn actor Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, took the stand mid-morning Tuesday and testified about her alleged sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, among other things. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Former President Donald Trump gestures to reporters as he returns to the courtroom after a break in his trial, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, Pool)

NEW YORK (AP) — Porn actor Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday in the hush money case against Donald Trump, who looked on as she detailed their alleged sexual encounter and the payment she got to keep it quiet.

Prosecutors allege Trump paid Daniels to keep quiet about the claims as he ran for president in 2016. Her testimony aired them very publicly as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee seeks to win the White House again.

Trump denies having sex with Daniels, and his lawyers unsuccessfully pushed for a mistrial midway through her testimony.

It’s the biggest spectacle yet in the first criminal trial of a former American president, now in its third week of testimony in Manhattan.

Here are some takeaways from Daniels’ testimony:

WHO IS STORMY DANIELS?

The case centers on a $130,000 payment to Daniels from Trump’s then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, in the final weeks of Trump’s 2016 campaign. Prosecutors say it was part of a scheme to illegally influence the campaign by burying negative stories about him.

In this courtroom sketch, Stormy Daniels testifies on the witness stand as Judge Juan Merchan looks on in Manhattan criminal court, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in New York.. A photo of Donald Trump and Daniels from their first meeting is displayed on a monitor. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)

His lawyers have sought to show that Trump was trying to protect his reputation and family — not his campaign — by shielding them from embarrassing stories about his personal life.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford , told jurors that she started exotic dancing in high school and appearing in adult films at age 23, eventually moving on to direct more than 150 films and winning a roster of porn industry awards.

Judge Juan Merchan presides over proceedings as Stormy Daniels, far right, answers questions on direct examination by assistant district attorney Susan Hoffinger in Manhattan criminal court as former President Donald Trump and defense attorney Todd Blanche look on, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP)

MEETING TRUMP

Daniels testified she first met and chatted with Trump at a 2006 Lake Tahoe celebrity golf outing where her studio was a sponsor.

He referred to her as “the smart one” and asked her if she wanted to go to dinner, she said. Daniels testified that she accepted Trump’s invitation because she wanted to avoid dinner with her co-workers and thought it might help her career. Trump had his bodyguard get her number, she said.

When they met up later in his penthouse, she appreciated that he seemed interested in the business aspects of the industry rather than the “sexy stuff.” He also suggested putting her on his TV show, “The Apprentice,” a possibility she hoped could help establish her as a writer and director.

She left to use the bathroom and was startled to find Trump in his underwear when she returned, she said. She didn’t feel physically or verbally threatened but realized that he was “bigger and blocking the way,” she testified.

Stormy Daniels, second from left, exits the courthouse in New York, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. Porn actor Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, took the stand mid-morning Tuesday and testified about her alleged sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, among other things. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

“The next thing I know was: I was on the bed,” and they were having sex, Daniels recalled. The encounter was brief but left her “shaking,” she said. “I just wanted to leave,” she testified.

PAYMENTS FOR SILENCE

Daniels was asked if Trump ever told her to keep things between them confidential and said, “Absolutely not.” She said she learned in 2011 that a magazine had learned the story of their encounter and she agreed to do an interview for $15,000 to make money and “control the narrative.” The story never ran.

Former President Donald Trump gestures to reporters as he returns to the courtroom after a break in his trial, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, Pool)

In 2016, when Trump was running for president, Daniels said she authorized her manager to shop the story around but did not initially receive interest from news outlets. She said that changed in October with the release of the “Access Hollywood” tape in which Trump bragged about grabbing women sexually without asking permission. She said she learned that Cohen wanted to buy her silence.

MISTRIAL PUSH

Midway through her testimony, Trump’s lawyers moved for a mistrial.

Defense lawyer Todd Blanche argued that Daniels’ testimony about the alleged encounter and other meetings with him had “nothing to do with this case,” and would unfairly prejudice the jury.

The judge rejected it, and he faulted defense attorneys for not raising more of their objections while she was testifying.

Before Daniels took the stand, Trump’s lawyers had tried to stop her from testifying about the encounter’s details, saying it was irrelevant in “a case about books and records.”

Prosecutors countered that Daniels’ testimony gets at what Trump was trying to hide and they were “very mindful” not to draw too much graphic detail. Before Daniels took the stand, they told the judge the testimony would be “really basic,” and would not “involve any details of genitalia.”

While the judge didn’t side with Trump’s lawyers, he acknowledged that some details were excessive. The objections could potentially be used by Trump’s lawyers if he is convicted and they file an appeal.

CROSS-EXAMINATION

Trump’s lawyers tried to attack Daniels’ credibility, suggesting she was motivated by money and that her account has shifted over the years.

“Am I correct that you hate President Trump?” Defense lawyer Susan Necheles asked Daniels at one point. Daniels acknowledged she did.

“And you want him to go to jail?” the lawyer asked.

“I want him to be held accountable,” Daniels said. Pressed again whether that meant going to jail, she said, “If he’s convicted.”

The defense pressed Daniels on the fact that she owes Trump hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees stemming from an unsuccessful defamation lawsuit and on a 2022 tweet in which she said she “will go to jail before I pay a penny.” Daniels dug in at times in the face of pointed questions, forcefully denying the idea that she had tried to extort Trump.

TRUMP IN COURT

Trump whispered frequently to his attorney during Daniels’ testimony, and his expression seemed to be pained at one point as she recounted details about the dinner she says they shared. He shook his head and appeared to say something under his breath as Daniels testified that Trump told her he didn’t sleep in the same room as his wife.

At one point, the judge told defense lawyers during a sidebar conversation — out of earshot of the jury and the public — that he could hear Trump “cursing audibly” and see him shaking his head, according to a transcript of the proceedings.

“I am speaking to you here at the bench because I don’t want to embarrass him,” Judge Juan Merchan told Blanche, Trump’s lawyer. Blanche assured the judge he would talk to his client.

“You need to speak to him. I won’t tolerate that,” the judge said.

On the way out of the courthouse, Trump called it “a very revealing day.” He didn’t address Daniels’ testimony explicitly but claimed the prosecutors’ case was “totally falling apart.”

A JARRING SPLIT SCREEN

Trump’s appearance in court Tuesday, like all other days he’s stuck in the courtroom, means he can’t be out on the campaign trail as he runs for president a third time. It’s a frequent source of his complaints, but Daniels’ testimony in particular might underscore how much of a distraction the trial is from the business of running for president.

While Trump was stuck in a Manhattan courthouse away from voters and unable to speak for much of the day, his rival, Democratic President Joe Biden, was attending a Holocaust remembrance ceremony and condemning antisemitism.

It’s an issue Trump has sought to use against Biden in the campaign by seizing on the protests at college campuses over the Israel-Hamas war.

Whitehurst reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Michael Sisak, Jennifer Peltz, Jake Offenhartz and Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this story.

GPT-4o Tutorial

A few days back, on MAY 13, 2024, OPEN AI came out with an announcement, unveiling their latest AI model, GPT-4o, also known as GPT-4 omni. This announcement just sent shockwaves through the tech world and captured the imagination of AI enthusiasts everywhere. Compared to the other models of OpenAI, like GPT-3.5 or GPT-4, this model stands as a pioneering AI model that can seamlessly understand and generate content across different modalities, including text, audio, and visuals.

With that, Hello everyone, and welcome to this blog on “GPT 4o Tutorial”. But before we begin, let’s check the topics that we will be covering in this blog.

GPT 4o Overview

Linguistic Text Handling

How is GPT 4o better?
What to expect from GPT 4o?

GPT-4o Overview

GPT -4 Omni accepts user inputs in the form of text, audio, or image and can generate a combination of text, audio, or visual as an output, but the special part is its speed in generating these responses. GPT-4o can generate responses in as little as 232 milliseconds, with an average of 320 milliseconds, which is much similar to the average human response time during a conversation. This quality of GPT-4o makes it a jaw-dropping innovation in the field of Human-Computer Interaction. Literally, you are speaking to a human who is smart, intelligent, and your artificial best friend.

Now, let’s check more of GPT-4o’s capabilities with respect to human-computer interaction.

GPT 4o matches GPT-4 Turbo’s performance on English text and coding, but it really outshines GPT-4 Turbo when it comes to handling text in languages other than English.

If we check the GPT-4o model evaluation, we can see how it is better than the GPT-4 turbo in terms of multilingual, audio, and vision capabilities.

In terms of text evaluation, it reaches a score of 88.7% on O-shot COT MMLU, which basically means addressing the general knowledge questions.

If we check the Audio ASR performance, GPT-4o significantly boosts speech recognition accuracy over Whisper-v3, performing much better with lower-resourced languages.

For speech translation, GPT-4o sets new benchmarks, outperforming Whisper-v3, and also google and meta models, especially on the MLS benchmark.

If we check M3Exam results, a standardized test for multilingualism and vision evaluation, we can see that it outperforms GPT-4 across all languages.

It also outperforms other AI models, including GPT-4 Turbo, Gemini, and Claude Opus in terms of vision understanding.

After checking all these stats, GPT-4o is especially better at Vision and audio understanding than existing models.

Now, let’s check what exactly makes it better compared to other AI models.

How is GPT-4o better?

Previously, when you wanted to use Voice Mode to talk to ChatGPT, there was a noticeable delay of around 2.8 seconds for GPT-3.5 and 5.4 seconds for GPT-4. This was because Voice Mode used three separate models:

One model to transcribe your spoken words into text
GPT-3.5 or GPT-4 to understand and respond to that text
Another model to convert the text response back into audio

This process meant that GPT-4, the main intelligent model, couldn’t directly perceive things like tone, multiple speakers, background noises, laughter, singing, or emotional expressions. It only saw the plain text.

With GPT-4o, they’ve trained a single new model that can handle text, visuals, and audio all at once. This means your spoken words go straight into GPT-4o, and its responses can come out as audio, incorporating all those nuances.

What to expect from GPT- 4o?

Now, when it becomes accessible to the general public, this GPT-4 omni will definitely bring a new revolution to the world of AI.

It will have the Vision feature, which allows you to upload and chat about the images. You have the browsing feature where you can get real-time and up-to-date responses from the model and web. Then, it has a memory feature that remembers facts about you and uses it in future chats. Lastly, it has an advanced data analysis feature that can analyze data and create charts. Now, all of these features will be available to you in a couple of weeks. For now, you can visit their website and check their videos to explore the features of GPT-4o. Also don’t forget to check our YouTube video “ GPT 4o Tutorial “.

To explore and learn more about ChatGPT, you can enroll in our ChatGPT Complete Course: Beginners to Advanced.

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Trump’s lawyer charges Michael Cohen lied to jury

Angry defense lawyer shouts in confrontation with Donald Trump’s former fixer, who stayed calm in his third day of testimony.

NEW YORK — The central witness against Donald Trump withstood a withering cross-examination Thursday from the former president’s defense lawyer, who accused Michael Cohen of lying as recently as two days ago to realize his dreams of revenge against his ex-boss.

The confrontation between Cohen and Trump lawyer Todd Blanche was the most anticipated moment in the month-long trial, which is now speeding toward a conclusion. Because the trial is off Friday, the jurors will have three days to weigh Cohen’s answers. His cross-examination will continue Monday morning, setting the stage for closing arguments next week.

New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan told the lawyers that he would try to make sure those arguments don’t stretch out over more than one day, but he warned that they might because of scheduling demands of the jurors and other logistics issues.

The day’s testimony was closely watched by a cadre of Trump’s political allies sitting behind him in court, including Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.). There were so many congressional Republicans in court in New York that a House Oversight Committee hearing in Washington was delayed .

Trump, who paid close attention Thursday to Blanche’s questioning of Cohen, has still not decided whether he will take the stand, Blanche told the judge. Most defendants do not testify at their trials, believing the risks of being questioned by prosecutors under oath are simply too great.

Trump hush money trial

In his third day on the witness stand, Cohen remained calm and quiet — speaking in a slow, sometimes raspy voice as Blanche challenged his truthfulness again and again. At one point, Blanche shouted that Cohen was a liar.

Cohen’s ability to keep his cool under pressure is an important measuring stick for the prosecutors’ chances of success.

Perhaps more importantly, the jury must decide whether they believe the only witness who directly ties Trump to an alleged scheme to falsify business records to cover up hush money payments to a porn star.

Cohen, a disbarred and convicted former lawyer , has admitted that he lied for Trump for years; it would be a far more serious threat to the prosecution case if jurors came to suspect he lied to them.

Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg . The indictment accuses Trump of creating a false paper trail to hide the fact that adult-film star Stormy Daniels was paid $130,000 in October 2016 to stay silent about her claim to have had sex with Trump years earlier. Trump denies the two had sex.

Cohen is instrumental to the prosecution case because he paid Daniels with his own money; the following year, the lawyer was given monthly payments from Trump in what prosecutors say was a corrupt scheme to reimburse him and keep Daniels’s allegations under wraps. Cohen is the only witness who has described conversations with Trump in which he said it was clear that his boss understood they would create the false paper trail.

The angriest and potentially most consequential moment in Thursday’s testimony came when Blanche confronted Cohen over his claim that he spoke to Trump on the evening of Oct. 24, 2016, when he called the phone of Trump’s security chief, Keith Schiller.

Cohen testified Tuesday that during the phone call, he told Trump the plan to pay hush money to Daniels was moving forward.

Blanche, however, presented text messages between Schiller and Cohen that preceded that call and suggested an entirely different reason for the conversation. In those texts, Cohen complained about getting harassing phone calls and asked for Schiller’s help. “Call me,” Schiller replied.

After hours of mild-mannered and patient questioning of Cohen, Blanche erupted as he confronted Cohen over the Schiller texts. Accusing Cohen of fabricating key evidence against his client, the lawyer angrily grabbed the microphone and raised his voice.

“That was a lie! You did not talk to President Trump that night!” Blanche bellowed.

Blanche suggested the call was simply too short for it to have included Schiller handing his phone to his boss so he and Cohen could discuss a financial transaction that would ultimately be the genesis of criminal charges against Trump.

“I’m not sure that’s accurate,” Cohen said.

He tried to revise his earlier account, saying he “also spoke to Mr. Trump and told him that everything regarding the Stormy Daniels matter was being worked on and it’s going to be resolved.”

The back-and-forth was the most tense moment yet of Cohen’s cross-examination, and of the entire trial.

But a quieter exchange may prove more damaging to Cohen’s credibility. It happened when Blanche asked Cohen if he had been willing to lie under oath while pleading guilty to tax crimes “because the stakes affected you personally.”

Cohen agreed that he had been.

A few minutes later, Blanche asked Cohen whether “the outcome of this trial affects you personally.”

Again, Cohen said: “Yes.”

Throughout the day, Blanche tried to methodically rip apart the prosecution portrait of Cohen as a remorseful, reformed henchman , using elements of Cohen’s prior testimony to suggest to the jury that he is a singularly selfish person .

Wearing a pale yellow tie, dark suit and dark-rimmed glasses, Cohen met Blanche’s indignation with a calm insistence that whatever his faults, his story about Trump’s guilt was true.

Yet he also struggled to explain why he told a congressional committee in 2019 that he never sought and would never seek a pardon from Trump, when his lawyer was doing just that . (Cohen called it a “misstatement.”) Or how he could claim to have accepted responsibility for financial crimes, but also call the prosecutor and judge in that case corrupt.

On the stand, Cohen said the fault for what happened lay with his bank, his accountant and others.

“You’ve blamed a lot of people over the years for the conduct you were convicted of, yes?” Blanche asked.

“I blame people, yes,” he replied.

Cohen also admitted that he often recorded his conversations with people without their knowledge, including at one point Trump, who at the time was his legal client.

Blanche played for the jury two short recordings of a bombastic Cohen talking about how joyful he was over Trump’s indictment and the prospect of the former president possibly going to jail. Cohen has continued to rail publicly against Trump, on podcasts, social media and in news interviews, despite repeated entreaties from the prosecutors for him to stop.

“I truly f---ing hope that this man ends up in prison,” Cohen said on a podcast excerpt played for the jury Thursday. “Revenge is a dish best served cold, and you best believe I want this man to go down and rot inside for what he did to my family.”

In another podcast clip, this one from May of last year, weeks after Trump’s indictment in this case, Cohen declared: “I want to thank the Manhattan district attorney’s office and their fearless leader Alvin Bragg, with whom I spent countless hours.”

On the witness stand, Cohen conceded that he had not in fact met or spent time with Bragg.

The district attorney has attended the trial intermittently but was not in court Thursday. The trial is off Friday so that Trump can attend his son’s high school graduation.

Just before court ended for the day, Blanche asked about a 2016 conversation in which Cohen reassured a reporter that the story about a Trump-Daniels encounter was false. In the phone call, Cohen told the reporter to believe Cohen because he is “a really bad liar.”

On the stand, Cohen acknowledged that he was lying at the time.

Trump New York hush money case

Former president Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial is underway in New York.

Key witnesses: Several key witnesses, including David Pecker and Stormy Daniels, have taken the stand. Here’s what Daniels said during her testimony . Read full transcripts from the trial .

Gag order: New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan has twice ruled that Trump violated his gag order , which prohibits him from commenting on jurors and witnesses in the case, among others. Here are all of the times Trump has violated the gag order .

The case: The investigation involves a $130,000 payment made to Daniels, an adult-film actress , during the 2016 presidential campaign. It’s one of many ongoing investigations involving Trump . Here are some of the key people in the case .

The charges: Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Falsifying business records is a felony in New York when there is an “intent to defraud” that includes an intent to “commit another crime or to aid or conceal” another crime. He has pleaded not guilty . Here’s what to know about the charges — and any potential sentence .

Blog The Education Hub

https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/05/16/new-rshe-guidance-what-it-means-for-sex-education-lessons-in-schools/

New RSHE guidance: What it means for sex education lessons in schools

R elationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) is a subject taught at both primary and secondary school.

In 2020, Relationships and Sex Education was made compulsory for all secondary school pupils in England and Health Education compulsory for all pupils in state-funded schools.

Last year, the Prime Minister and Education Secretary brought forward the first review of the curriculum following reports of pupils being taught inappropriate content in RSHE in some schools.

The review was informed by the advice of an independent panel of experts. The results of the review and updated guidance for consultation has now been published.

We are now asking for views from parents, schools and others before the guidance is finalised. You can find the consultation here .

What is new in the updated curriculum?

Following the panel’s advice, w e’re introducing age limits, to ensure children aren’t being taught about sensitive and complex subjects before they are ready to fully understand them. 

We are also making clear that the concept of gender identity – the sense a person may have of their own gender, whether male, female or a number of other categories – is highly contested and should not be taught. This is in line with the cautious approach taken in our gu idance on gender questioning children.

Along with other factors, teaching this theory in the classroom could prompt some children to start to question their gender when they may not have done so otherwise, and is a complex theory for children to understand.

The facts about biological sex and gender reassignment will still be taught.

The guidance for schools also contains a new section on transparency with parents, making it absolutely clear that parents have a legal right to know what their children are being taught in RSHE and can request to see teaching materials.

In addition, we’re seeking views on adding several new subjects to the curriculum, and more detail on others. These include:

Suicide prevention
Sexual harassment and sexual violence
L oneliness
The prevalence of 'deepfakes’
Healthy behaviours during pregnancy, as well as miscarriage
Illegal online behaviours including drug and knife supply
The dangers of vaping 
Menstrual and gynaecological health including endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and heavy menstrual bleeding.

What are the age limits?

In primary school, we’ve set out that subjects such as the risks about online gaming, social media and scams should not be taught before year 3.

Puberty shouldn’t be taught before year 4, whilst sex education shouldn’t be taught before year 5, in line with what pupils learn about conception and birth as part of the national curriculum for science.

In secondary school, issues regarding sexual harassment shouldn’t be taught before year 7, direct references to suicide before year 8 and any explicit discussion of sexual activity before year 9.

Do schools have to follow the guidance?

Following the consultation, the guidance will be statutory, which means schools must follow it unless there are exceptional circumstances. 

There is some flexibility w ithin the age ratings, as schools will sometimes need to respond to questions from pupils about age-restricted content, if they come up earlier within their school community.

In these circumstances, schools are instructed to make sure that teaching is limited to the essential facts without going into unnecessary details, and parents should be informed.

When will schools start teaching this?

School s will be able to use the guidance as soon as we publish the final version later this year.

However, schools will need time to make changes to their curriculum, so we will allow an implementation period before the guidance comes into force.   

What can parents do with these resources once they have been shared?

This guidance has openness with parents at its heart. Parents are not able to veto curriculum content, but they should be able to see what their children are being taught, which gives them the opportunity to raise issues or concerns through the school’s own processes, if they want to.

Parents can also share copyrighted materials they have received from their school more widely under certain circumstances.

If they are not able to understand materials without assistance, parents can share the materials with translators to help them understand the content, on the basis that the material is not shared further.

Copyrighted material can also be shared under the law for so-called ‘fair dealing’ - for the purposes of quotation, criticism or review, which could include sharing for the purpose of making a complaint about the material.

This could consist of sharing with friends, families, faith leaders, lawyers, school organisations, governing bodies and trustees, local authorities, Ofsted and the media. In each case, the sharing of the material must be proportionate and accompanied by an acknowledgment of the author and its ownership.

Under the same principle, parents can also share relevant extracts of materials with the general public, but except in cases where the material is very small, it is unlikely that it would be lawful to share the entirety of the material.

These principles would apply to any material which is being made available for teaching in schools, even if that material was provided subject to confidentiality restrictions.

Do all children have to learn RSHE?

Parents still have the right to withdraw their child from sex education, but not from the essential content covered in relationships educatio n.

Sharing and comments

Share this page, related content and links, about the education hub.

The Education Hub is a site for parents, pupils, education professionals and the media that captures all you need to know about the education system. You’ll find accessible, straightforward information on popular topics, Q&As, interviews, case studies, and more.

Please note that for media enquiries, journalists should call our central Newsdesk on 020 7783 8300. This media-only line operates from Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm. Outside of these hours the number will divert to the duty media officer.

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GPT-4o Overview GPT -4 Omni accepts user inputs in the form of text, audio, or image and can generate a combination of text, audio, or visual as an output, but the special part is its speed in generating these responses.
Michael Cohen testifies during heated cross-examination in Trump hush
Cohen is instrumental to the prosecution case because he paid Daniels with his own money; the following year, the lawyer was given monthly payments from Trump in what prosecutors say was a corrupt ...
New RSHE guidance: What it means for sex education lessons in schools
In each case, the sharing of the material must be proportionate and accompanied by an acknowledgment of the author and its ownership. Under the same principle, parents can also share relevant extracts of materials with the general public, but except in cases where the material is very small, it is unlikely that it would be lawful to share the ...