The instructor, instead of simply expounding his views, proceeds by a question and answer method, often called the Socratic method, to draw out from the students the significance of the case under discussion. In fact there are many variations of the case method. In its pure form the instructor never makes a statement of his view, but brings out every point that he wishes to make by means of questions. Most Canadian law teachers, however, use a mixture of the case method and the lecture method. Commonly an instructor will make a short introductory statement, ask questions about a case, and then summarize the discussion and, often, put forward her own view.
Students are sometimes impatient with the case system of teaching.
It does, however, have the merit of bringing home the strength of the conflicting arguments on each point. Some sort of discussion, real or simulated, is essential to the understanding of legal problems. In universities, where the lecture method is used, there are almost always supplementary discussion groups in addition to the lectures. It is one thing for a student to hear that there are arguments on each side of a question and dutifully to write it down in his notes. Discussion of cases should not be confined to the classroom, and many law students find it useful to meet in groups, more or less regularly, for study and discussion.