If you are starting your legal education, one of the biggest shocks you will experience in your first semester is the transition from high school essay writing to answering law school problem questions.
Unlike standard essay questions that ask you to “Discuss the doctrine of separation of powers,” problem questions present hypothetical, real-world stories filled with disputes, conflicting characters, and dramatic events.
Understanding what a problem question is and mastering the IRAC framework to solve it is the single most important skill required to pass law school examinations in Ghana.
What Is a Law School Problem Question?
A problem question is a practical legal scenario provided by an examiner to test whether you can think like a lawyer.
Examiners construct these prompts using real-life situations, such as a broken contract, a physical fight outside a bar, a disputed land sale, or an unconstitutional executive order. Within the story, multiple legal rights have been breached, and your task is to identify the legal problems and advise the affected parties on their rights, liabilities, and remedies.
What Are Law School Examiners Testing?
When an examiner marks a problem question script, they are not looking for generic legal knowledge. They evaluate four core competencies:
- Issue Spotting: Can you isolate the exact legal conflicts hidden within a complex narrative?
- Knowledge of Authority: Do you know the specific constitutional provisions, Acts of Parliament, and landmark judicial precedents that govern those conflicts?
- Legal Application: Can you explain how the law applies to these exact facts, rather than just reciting abstract legal rules?
- Structured Communication: Is your argument logical, concise, and easy to follow?
Solving Problem Questions: IRAC Explained
To ensure your answer is structured and easy for an examiner to grade, law faculties around the world use the IRAC method. IRAC stands for Issue, Rule, Application, and Conclusion.
Here is how each component works when solving a problem question:
1. Issue (I) — What is the legal question?
Identify the exact legal dispute between the parties. Frame it clearly as a legal question rather than a factual summary.
- Bad: “Kofi and Ama had an argument over a watch.”
- Good: “The issue is whether Ama’s public reward notice constitutes a binding unilateral offer under Ghanaian contract law.”
2. Rule (R) — What is the governing law?
State the legal principle, statutory section, or legal doctrine that solves the issue. Always support your rule with authority (a constitutional article, Act of Parliament, or case ratio).
Example: “Under Ghanaian contract law, an advertisement offering a reward for the performance of a specific act constitutes a unilateral offer to the public at large (Carlill v. Carbolic Smoke Ball Co. [1893]).”
3. Application (A) — How does the law fit these specific facts?
This is where the majority of your exam marks live. Connect the legal rule directly to the factual details provided in the prompt. Explain why the facts meet or fail the legal test.
Example: “In this scenario, Ama posted a public notice promising GH₵ 2,000 for her lost watch. When Kofi returned the watch with prior knowledge of the notice, his conduct constituted both acceptance and full performance under the rule in Carlill.”
4. Conclusion (C) — What is the final legal advice?
Deliver a brief, definitive conclusion resolving the issue. Answer the specific prompt given by the examiner.
Example: “Therefore, Ama is legally bound to pay Kofi the GH₵ 2,000 rewards. Kofi has a valid cause of action for breach of contract.”
Quick Summary: IRAC Cheat Sheet
- I (Issue): Identify the legal problem.
- R (Rule): State the legal authority (statute/case law).
- A (Application): Link the rule directly to the facts.
- C (Conclusion): Provide a clear, actionable verdict.
Key Takeaway: A problem question is a hypothetical factual scenario designed to test your ability to spot legal disputes, extract relevant facts, apply governing laws, and deliver definitive legal advice using structured legal reasoning like IRAC.
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