Prepare a case note on the following decision:
Baranya v Rosderra Irish Meats Group Ltd [2021] IESC 77, [2022] 33 ELR 73.
*You must refer to the judgments of both Hogan and Charleton JJ*
Remember, in a case-note you should make sure to clearly set out:
o The facts of the case – what is the dispute about?
o The procedural history – what did the various courts before this one decide
about the case?
o The decision – what did this court decide?
o The reasoning – what explanation did the judges give for their decision? What
were the main authorities on which they relied? Which facts were most
important in leading the court to the conclusion that it reached? What was the
ratio decidendi – the specific legal conclusion that the case turns on or
establishes?
o Your analysis – what do you think and want to say about the case? This could
include various things, including: How convincing do you find the court’s
reasoning? Did they get it right? If not, why not? Are there other ways the court
might have reached a similar conclusion? Is the result fair to everyone involved?
How well does the case fit with other relevant legal principles? What impact
has the case had / might the case have on the law in other situations? What effect
might the case have on the ways that individuals / organisations etc. conduct
their business in future? Is that a good or a bad thing?
3
This assessment is designed to test how well you can read, understand, summarise, and analyse
a court decision. Keep in mind that you should summarise the facts of the case as briefly as
possible and only for the purpose of highlighting key issues and the approach of the court. You
should also provide a brief overview of the procedural history of this case. The principal
objective of this assessment is to test how you can identify and highlight the key issues in the
case and how they were resolved. You should thus indicate how the court framed the issues
and how it came to its conclusion on them. The higher marks will go to those who offer critical
analysis and evaluation of the decision and draw out the theoretical and practical implications.
One of the key aspects which distinguishes between a good, very good, and excellent case note
is the ability to not only summarise and restate the court’s holdings and resolution of a
particular legal dispute, but to engage in critical analysis of the decision’s impact on the
relevant area of law.