Charles (Thomas M. Cooley Law School) teaches law students the skill of applying law to fact, using examples and exercises to explain nine reasoning techniques that the justices of the US Supreme Court use. As a refreshing change, the book features a conversational tone with a sense of humor, plus margin notes on terms and cases. Part 1 prepares students to apply law with a discussion of critical thinking and tips on identifying the law and facts at issue. Part 2 explains nine reasoning techniques for applying law: apply the rule's plain language, imply, infer, clarify, hypothesize, characterize, analogize, quantify, and evaluate opposing arguments. Students can practice these techniques with exercises on one case of false imprisonment. Part 3 explains how to organize and write arguments, with more exercises on the false imprisonment case. Appendices offer a reasoning chart for the assignments, sample answers, and tips for identifying reasoning techniques. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)