Terms Related to Legal Skills

Question 1

Analysis

Answer 1

The process of examining the individual parts of a decision to either: 1) render one’s own decision or interpretation based on the law and facts presented, or 2) critically review another’s decision or interpretation based on then existing law and facts.

Question 2

Interpretation

Answer 2

Interpretation is the method of construing the language of either a statute, contract, or other written document to elicit its true, intended meaning.

Question 3

Reasoning

Answer 3

Reasoning is the act of thinking logically.

Question 4

Analogy

Answer 4

An analogy is an inference that if two situations or principles are alike in some respects, then they must be alike in other respects as well.

Question 5

Syllogism

Answer 5

The word “syllogism” comes from the discipline of logic. Syllogism means the full logical form of a single argument and it consists of two premises and a conclusion for a total of three propositions. Each of the two premises contain a unique term which are related together in the conclusion.

Question 6

Legal Research

Answer 6

The process of using resources to find the law as it has been delineated by courts, legislatures, and other governmental agencies, for the purpose of learning the law or answering a legal problem.