Creating Your First IRAC Submission

Creating Your First IRAC Submission

This guide walks you through creating and submitting your first IRAC analysis on CaseNotes.

Step 1: Choose a Case or Problem Question

Navigate to Practice > Question Bank in the main menu. You'll see:

• Curated problem questions organized by area of law
• Recent Constitutional Court cases with guided questions
• Upload your own problem from assignments or past papers

For beginners: Start with questions tagged "Beginner" or "Foundational" to build confidence.

Step 2: Read the Facts Carefully

Before writing, ensure you understand:

• Who are the parties? (plaintiff/defendant, applicant/respondent)
• What happened? (timeline of events)
• What is being disputed? (the legal question)
• What remedy is sought? (damages, interdict, declaration)

Pro tip: Make notes on key facts that will be relevant to your legal analysis.

Step 3: Identify the Issues

Click Start Analysis to open the IRAC editor. In the Issue section:

1. Frame the legal question precisely
2. Use the format: "Whether [legal test] applies when [key facts]"
3. Focus on the core dispute, not peripheral questions

Example:
✅ "Whether the defendant's conduct constitutes unfair discrimination under section 9 of the Constitution"
❌ "What is discrimination?"

Step 4: State the Relevant Rules

In the Rule section:

1. Cite the applicable legislation, case law, or common law principle
2. State the legal test or elements that must be satisfied
3. Include brief ratio decidendi from key precedents

Example:
"Section 9(3) of the Constitution prohibits unfair discrimination on listed grounds. In Harksen v Lane NO 1998 (1) SA 300 (CC), the Court held that unfair discrimination requires: (1) differentiation, (2) on a listed or analogous ground, (3) that impairs human dignity or causes disadvantage."

Citation tips:

• Always include case name, year, volume, reporter, and page
• Link to CaseNotes database entries when available
• Paraphrase ratio decidendi in your own words

Step 5: Apply the Law to the Facts

The Application section is where you earn most marks. For each element:

1. State the element clearly
2. Identify relevant facts from the problem
3. Explain how those facts satisfy (or fail) the element
4. Address counter-arguments

Example:
"The first element is differentiation. Here, the employer treated female employees differently by requiring medical certificates for absences of any length, while male employees needed certificates only for absences exceeding 3 days. This constitutes clear differentiation in policy application."

Pro tip: Use connecting phrases like "This shows that...", "By contrast...", "The facts demonstrate..." to link law and facts.

Step 6: Reach a Conclusion

In the Conclusion section:

1. Directly answer the issue you framed
2. State your conclusion confidently ("The conduct constitutes..." not "It might be...")
3. Briefly summarize why (1-2 sentences)

Example:
"The defendant's conduct constitutes unfair discrimination under section 9 of the Constitution. The policy differentiated on the basis of sex, a listed ground, and imposed a disadvantage on female employees without objective justification."

Step 7: Submit for AI Feedback

Click Submit for Evaluation. Within 30 seconds you'll receive:

• Overall grade (A+ to F)
• Component scores for Issue, Rule, Application, Conclusion
• Detailed feedback on strengths and areas to improve
• Specific suggestions for your next practice attempt

Step 8: Review Feedback and Iterate

Read the AI feedback carefully:

• Note which IRAC components scored lower
• Review the specific improvement suggestions
• Click View Model Answer to see a distinction-level response
• Try another question focusing on your weak areas

Remember: Improvement comes from deliberate practice. Aim to submit 3-5 analyses per week for steady progress.

Need Help?

• Stuck on a legal concept? Search our Case Law Database
• Unclear about IRAC methodology? Read IRAC Framework Explained
• Technical issues? Contact support