Template:Infobox Massachusetts SJC case/doc

'NOTE: This code for this template has been shamelessly ripped off from Infobox Virginia Supreme Court case. So if there is something wrong with it, go ask an administrator who is good at this type of stuff. Thanks. --Eastlaw (talk) 01:33, 10 December 2008 (UTC)'

Assistance
If you find yourself confused in how to use this template or need assistance, please feel free to leave comments on the talk page.

Usage
This template aims to standardize articles on decisions of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

For a detailed description of this template's usage, see below. For information about commonly inserted information, refer to this guide.

Parameters
Most parameters in this template are optional. Leaving parameters such as ReargueDate, Concurrence5, or Overruled blank is OK and will not change or alter anything in the template. Parameters such as Majority, JoinMajority, etc. are all optional. Any fields that need to be added can be done so easily – either add the code if you feel comfortable doing so, or contact me and I will add the fields you need.
 * Optional parameters

Argue dates
Most cases will only need to use ArgueDate, ArgueYear, DecideDate, & DecideYear. Only cases that have more than one argue date need to use ArgueDateA & ArgueDateB. ReargueDate and ReargueYear should only be used if there was a reargue date.

Prior History
This field can contain citations to prior decisions in the case, in trial court or prior decisions by the subject court; these should be preceded by a two to four word description of the ruling—this (together with the subsequent history, following) is merely the bare bones procedural history of the case—what happened when at what court. Please use the citation only for the preferred court reporter (not all parallel citations) to reduce length. If unreported (as with most criminal convictions, for example), list the ruling, the court, and the full date.

Subsequent history
This field can contain citations to or general descriptions of subsequent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court after a petition for certiorari, by lower courts after a remand or vacation, or by the same court, as in a denial of rehearing, or continuing proceedings in a trial court.

Holding
A very brief (one or two sentence) description of what the central ruling of the case was. This may or may not be fact specific, depending on how broadly the court's opinion was worded; follow with a short statement of what the specific outcome of the case was (e.g., "Appellate Division affirmed").

Court membership
List the Chief Judge of the court, and all Associate Judges then sitting.

Case opinions
All the written opinions handed down in the case are listed in the following categories of majority, concurrent, etc. Always follow the designations used in the reported decision.

List all judges under these headings only by their last name, as their full names are already given above in the panel membership section.

Majority by:
The judge who authored the court's opinion.

Joined by:
The judges who joined in the majority/plurality opinion.

Concurrences, concurrence/dissents, dissents
List all concurrences, followed by concurrence/dissents, followed by dissents. Within each grouping, try to order the opinions by the order in which they are reported.

Laws applied
Citations to the constitutional and statutory provisions that were the basis for the decision only—NOT case law, and not every law that happens to be cited in the case or rejected as inapplicable with minimal discussion.

General notes
Formatting is done automatically. There is no need to use wiki markup (  or ' ) or HTML (  or  ) for most parameters. Exceptions are: Prior, Subsequent, Judges, and Overruled.