how to get a first in law essay

Username or email  *

Password  *

Forgotten password?

[email protected]

+44 (0)20 8834 4579

How to Write a First-Class Law Essay

Studying law at university entails lots of essay writing. This article takes you through the key steps to writing a top law essay.

Writing a law essay can be a challenging task. As a law student, you’ll be expected to analyse complex legal issues and apply legal principles to real-world scenarios. At the same time, you’ll need to be able to communicate your ideas clearly and persuasively. In this article, we’ll cover some top tips to guide you through the process of planning, researching, structuring and writing a first-class law essay with confidence. 

1. Start In Advance

Give yourself plenty of time to plan, research and write your law essay. Always aim to start your law essay as soon as you have the question. Leaving it until the last minute does not only create unnecessary stress, but it also leaves you insufficient time to write, reference and perfect your work.

2. Understand The Question

Do not begin until you fully comprehend the question. Take the time to read the question carefully and make sure that you understand what it’s asking you to do. Highlight key terms and annotate the question with definitions of key concepts and any questions that you have have. Think about how the question links back to what you’ve learned during your lectures or through your readings.

3. Conduct Thorough Research

Conducting thorough research around your topic is one of the most fundamental parts of the essay writing process. You should aim to use a range of relevant sources, such as cases, academic articles, books and any other legal materials. Ensure that the information you collect is taken from relevant, reliable and up to date sources. Use primary over secondary material as much as possible.

Avoid using outdated laws and obscure blog posts as sources of information. Always aim to choose authoritative sources from experts within the field, such as academics, politicians, lawyers and judges. Using high-quality and authoritative sources and demonstrating profound and critical insight into your topic are what will earn you top marks.

4. Write A Detailed Plan

Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to plan your essay. When writing your plan, you’ll need to create an outline that clearly identifies the main points that you wish to make throughout your article. Try to write down what you wish to achieve in each paragraph, what concepts you want to discuss and arguments you want to make.

Your outline should be organised in a clear, coherent and logical manner to ensure that the person grading your essay can follow your line of thought and arguments easily.  You may also wish to include headings and subheadings to structure your essay effectively This makes it easier when it comes to writing the essay as starting without a plan can get messy. The essay must answer the question and nothing but the question so ensure all of your points relate to it.

Start Writing Like A Lawyer

Read our legal writing tips now

5. Write A Compelling Introduction

A great introduction should, firstly, outline the research topic.  The introduction is one of the most crucial parts of the law essay as it sets the tone for the rest of the paper. It should capture the readers attention and provide the background context on the topic. Most importantly, it should state the thesis of your essay.

When writing your introduction, avoid simply repeating the given question. Secondly, create a road map for the reader, letting them know how the essay will approach the question. Your introduction must be concise. The main body of the essay is where you will go into detail.

6. Include A Strong Thesis Statement

Your thesis should clearly set out the argument you are going to be making throughout your essay and should normally go in the introduction. Your thesis should adopt a clear stance rather than being overly general or wishy-washy. To obtain the best grades, you’ll need to show a unique perspective based upon a critical analysis of the topic rather than adopting the most obvious point of view.

Once you’ve conducted your research and had a chance to reflect on your topic, ask yourself whether you can prove your argument within the given word count or whether you would need to adopt a more modest position for your paper. Always have a clear idea of what your thesis statement is before you begin writing the content of your essay. 

7. Present the Counter-argument

To demonstrate your deeper understanding of the topic, it’s important to show your ability to consider the counter-arguments and address them in a careful and reasoned manner. When presenting your counterarguments, aim to depict them in the best possible light, aiming to be fair and reasonable before moving on to your rebuttal. To ensure that your essay is convincing, you will need to have a strong rebuttal that explains why your argument is stronger and more persuasive. This will demonstrate your capacity for critical analysis, showing the reader that you have carefully considered differing perspectives before coming to a well-supported conclusion.

8. End With A Strong Conclusion

Your conclusion is your opportunity to summarise the key points made throughout your essay and to restate the thesis statement in a clear and concise manner.  Avoid simply repeating what has already been mentioned in the body of the essay. For top grades, you should use the conclusion as an opportunity to provide critical reflection and analysis on the topic. You may also wish to share any further insights or recommendations into alternative avenues to consider or implications for further research that could add value to the topic. 

9. Review The Content Of Your Essay

Make sure you factor in time to edit the content of your essay.  Once you’ve finished your first draft, come back to it the next day. Re-read your essay with a critical perspective. Do your arguments make sense? Do your paragraphs flow in a logical manner? You may also consider asking someone to read your paper and give you critical feedback. They may be able to add another perspective you haven’t considered or suggest another research paper that could add value to your essay. 

10. Proofread For Grammatical Mistakes

Once you’re happy with the content of your essay, the last step is to thoroughly proofread your essay for any grammatical errors. Ensure that you take time to ensure that there are no grammar, spelling or punctuation errors as these can be one of the easiest ways to lose marks. You can ask anyone to proofread your paper, as they would not necessarily need to have a legal background – just strong grammar and spelling skills! 

11. Check Submission Guidelines

Before submitting, ensure that your paper conforms with the style, referencing and presentation guidelines set out by your university. This includes the correct font, font size and line spacing as well as elements such as page numbers, table of content etc. Referencing is also incredibly important as you’ll need to make sure that you are following the correct referencing system chosen by your university. Check your university’s guidelines about what the word count is and whether you need to include your student identification number in your essay as well. Be thorough and don’t lose marks for minor reasons!

12. Use Legal Terms Accurately

Always make sure that you are using legal terms accurately throughout your essay. Check an authoritative resource if you are unsure of any definitions. While being sophisticated is great, legal jargon if not used correctly or appropriately can weaken your essay. Aim to be concise and to stick to the point. Don’t use ten words when only two will do.

12. Create a Vocabulary Bank

One recurring piece of advice from seasoned law students is to take note of phrases from books and articles, key definitions or concepts and even quotes from your professors. When it comes to writing your law essay, you will have a whole range of ideas and vocabulary that will help you to develop your understanding and thoughts on a given topic. This will make writing your law essay even easier!

13. Finally, Take Care of Yourself

Last but certainly not least, looking after your health can improve your attitude towards writing your law essay your coursework in general. Sleep, eat, drink and exercise appropriately. Take regular breaks and try not to stress. Do not forget to enjoy writing the essay!

Words by Karen Fulton

Free Guides

Our free guides cover everything from deciding on law to studying and practising law abroad. Search through our vast directory.

Upcoming Events

Explore our events for aspiring lawyers. Sponsored by top institutions, they offer fantastic insights into the legal profession.

Join Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list for weekly updates and advice on how to get into law.

Law Quizzes

Try our selection of quizzes for aspiring lawyers for a fun way to gain insight into the legal profession!

PREVIOUS ARTICLE

Legal Writing: Start Writing Like a Lawyer!

NEXT ARTICLE

LLM Jobs for Graduates

Loading More Content

How to Write a First-Class Law Essay: Mastering the FIRAC Model

Law essays can be challenging, but they contribute significantly to the mastery of legal principles and enhancing a student’s legal research skills. A first-class law essay does not only demonstrate a thorough understanding of legal principles, but is also clearly structured and incredibly well-written. In this article, we will guide you on how to write a first-class law essay, delve into the FIRAC model of legal writing, and address frequently asked questions on law essay writing.

Below is an outline of the points that will be discussed in detail throughout the article:

Understanding the Essay Question and Planning

Comprehensive legal research, writing techniques for a first-class law essay, common faqs on law essay writing.

Table of Contents

The first step in writing a top-notch law essay is to understand the essay question and planning your response. You should take care to read and analyze the question provided, identifying the main issues, required legal areas, and the keywords that will guide your research. Create a rough essay plan, outlining the main arguments and research resources necessary to address the topic.

Thorough researched is necessary in order to write a first-class law essay.This involves examining relevant cases, statutes, academic articles, and other authoritative sources. It is crucial to:

• Build a strong foundation of understanding for the specific legal topics involved
• Identify any contrary viewpoints and conflicting interpretations of the law
• Familiarize yourself with critical legal developments that may affect your essay’s arguments

It is essential to keep track of your sources and their essential details, as you will need to reference them accurately in your essay.

Structuring a Law Essay: The FIRAC Model

The FIRAC model is a universally recognized method of organizing and presenting legal arguments in writing. It consists of:

Start by providing a concise and relevant summary of the facts and background of the issue beingaddressed. Be objective and neutral in your presentation, ensuring that your readers have a clear understanding of the context.

Clearly identify the specific legal issues that arise from the facts. This may involve direct questions or problems that need to be resolved by referring to legal authorities, such as legislation, case law, or academic commentary.

Set out the relevant legal rules, principles, and precedents that apply to the issues in question. Present a clear and comprehensive explanation of the legal authorities and how they apply to the facts.

d. Analysis:

In this section, critically analyze and weigh the various arguments and approaches concerning the legal issues at hand. Provide a detailed evaluation of the relevant legal authorities,discussing their strengths and weaknesses, and highlighting any ambiguities, disagreements, or gaps in the law that are relevant to the issues being addressed.

e. Conclusion:

Wrap up your essay by summarizing the main points, integrating your key findings and the implications of your analysis. Be sure to address the initial essay question and provide a clear answer or position based on your research and discussion. Finally, offer any recommendations or propose potential legal reforms if appropriate.

To ensure that your law essay stands out as first-class, it is essential to embrace effective writing techniques, such as:

• Clarity and precision: Use clear, concise language and avoid unnecessary jargon or verbosity. 2.Coherent organization: Organize your essay logically, ensuring that each section flows smoothly into the next.
• Strong argumentation: Build well-reasoned arguments supported by solid evidence, authoritative sources, and persuasive analysis.
• Critical thinking: Question assumptions, explore alternative viewpoints, and engage in thoughtful reflection and analysis.
• Proper citation and referencing: Adhere to a consistent citation style and accurately credit all sources used in your essay.
• Proofreading and editing: Always proofread and edit your essay meticulously, eliminating grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and awkward phrasing.

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about law essay writing:

How long should my law essay be?

The length of your law essay may vary, depending on the specific requirements and guidelines given by your instructor or institution. Typically, law essays range from 1,500 to 3,000 words, but it is crucial to adhere to the specified word count in your assignment.

How do I choose a citation style for my law essay?

Consult your assignment guidelines or ask your instructor for the preferred citation style used in legal writing at your institution, such as the Bluebook, Oxford Standard, or AGLC. Always use one citation style consistently throughout your essay.

Is it acceptable to use non-legal references in my essay?

While law essays primarily rely on legal authorities, it may be appropriate toinclude non-legal references, such as scholarly articles, reports, or empirical studies, to support your arguments or provide additional context. Always check with your instructor or assignment guidelines if you are unsure about using specific non-legal sources.

Can I use headings and subheadings in my law essay?

Headings and subheadings help organize your essay and guide your readers through your arguments. They are generally acceptable in law essays unless prohibited by your institution’s guidelines or your instructor’s preferences. Be sure to use a consistent formatting style for all headings and subheadings.

How can I avoid plagiarism in my law essay?

To avoid plagiarism, always accurately cite and reference any sources you use in your essay,whether they are direct quotes, paraphrased ideas, or summarized information. Also, ensure that your essay is primarily composed of your own original analysis and ideas, rather than relying too heavily on other sources. Make use of plagiarism-checking tools to identify potential areas of concern and correct them prior to submission.

By adhering to these guidelines and employing effective writing techniques, you can enhance the quality of your law essay and increase the likelihood of earning a first-class grade. Always remain diligent, focused, and committed to delivering thorough and engaging legal analysis throughout your academic writing endeavors.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Law Essays

In addition to following the guidelines and writing techniques, it’s important to avoid common mistakes when writing your law essay:

• Irrelevant or excessive detail : Stay focused on the essay question and avoid providing unnecessary or excessive details that don’t contribute to your central argument.
• Lack of structure: Ensure that your essay is logically organized, with clearly defined sections and a coherent flow from one section to another.
• Misunderstanding the question: Read the essay prompt carefully, and make sure you clearly understand what is being asked before drafting your response. Seek clarification if needed.
• Unsupported claims or arguments: Back up your claims with solid evidence and credible sources. Avoid makingassertions without sufficient justification or analysis.
• Overly complex language or jargon: Write in a clear and concise manner, using language that is accessible to your readers. Be mindful of using overly technical terms or legal jargon without explanation.
• Plagiarism: Always provide proper citation and referencing for all sources used. Take the necessary steps to ensure your work is original and does not plagiarize from other sources.
• Inadequate proofreading: Thoroughly proofread and edit your essay to correct grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and clumsy phrasing. Additionally, make sure your citations and references are accurate and formatted correctly.

By avoiding these common mistakes and adhering to the aforementioned guidelines andwriting techniques, you will significantly improve the quality of your law essay and increase your chances of achieving a high grade. Remember that practice makes perfect, and continually refining your skills in legal writing and analysis will contribute to your overall success in your academic and professional pursuits. So, stay committed, diligent, and focused on producing well-reasoned and coherent essays that demonstrate your understanding and mastery of legal principles and concepts. 

Happy writing!

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

How to Write a First Class Law Essay

A Fuel Crisis that Continues to Drown the UK

The Rohingya Refugee Crisis

• Tips for Students
• essay writing
• first class
• tips for students

Article written by Caitlin Graham, Lancaster University LLB graduate.

General Tips

Check further reading lists before finding your own sources..

Once you receive your essay question, before trying to identify your own primary and secondary sources, a good starting point is to have a look at your university’s further reading list for whichever topic the question is based upon and then research any of the relevant sources listed. Also, you can find sources by checking the further reading list of the relevant chapter in your main textbook. You can also ask for help from  professional research paper writers

Plan before you start writing.

Produce a plan which outlines what all of your main arguments are, how you will make the points, which sources you plan to use, and what your conclusion will be.  By having all of your notes and research in your plan in one place, this will prevent any confusion or stress trying to find something later on.

At the end of each main argument, link it back to the question.

You need to answer the question. To ensure you do this, at the end of each key point, include a sentence or two which links it back to the main question.

Make a vocabulary bank on a word document.

Making a list of words that are commonly used in essay writing and having it to hand or in a separate tab on your computer can be really useful if you get stuck whilst writing.

Use sentence starters such as ‘firstly’, ‘furthermore’, ‘therefore’, and ‘in conclusion’.

Using sentence starters will help ensure your writing is fluent and flows.

Only make direct quotations where it makes sense to.

It is not necessary to directly quote every academic commentator that you are making reference to in your essay; instead, for the most part, paraphrase.

Proofread your essay out loud before submitting.

It is very important that you not only proofread your essay before you submit it but that you do so out loud. This will help you filter out any incorrect punctuation and ensure that your writing flows.

How to Answer Each Section of an Essay

The introduction.

You should aim to do four things in your introduction:

• Set out any definitions of any key terms outlined in the essay title or statement of your essay. 
• State what the overall aim of your essay is.
• Explain how you plan to achieve this aim. 
• Provide a brief summary of what your essay will conclude.

The Main Body of the Essay

The main body of the essay refers to the two or three main arguments.  Aim to use a range of primary and secondary sources in this part.  It is crucial that critical analysis is used in this section in order to achieve a higher grade. This will mean engaging with primary and secondary sources and identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each point.  Furthermore, whilst you should acknowledge both sides of the argument, you should finish by clarifying which side you find more convincing and why.

The Conclusion

A conclusion should:

• Summarise how the essay has achieved its aim.
• Echo what the essay’s position/opinion on the essay question/title is and explain the reasoning behind this.

Do not address any new points or arguments in the conclusion; only refer to ideas that you have already discussed.  Keep the conclusion relatively brief – a few sentences should be sufficient.

Imaan Fatima

Related posts.

Curing Britain’s Sickness Culture

How to slay the email dragon 

Why People and Businesses Should Be Concerned About the State of Councils.

Comments are closed.

New law brings more mental health care to schools

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - A new law could bring more mental health care to schools.

Now, marriage and family therapists can get a license through the state Department of Public Instruction so school districts can directly hire them. Before, they could only work in schools through a third party.

“Mental health needs of children continue to increase and we are seeing a lot more need just in general. Every level of support we can offer to students is needed,” Samaritan Counseling’s Wellness Screen Director Amy D’Addario said.

According to Samaritan, more than 65% of students reported struggling with depression or anxiety. Even more alarming, more than 22% of students said they thought about dying by suicide in a screening last year.

“I think people are surprised at just the sheer number of kids that are really struggling with some real mental health issues that are life threatening potentially,” D’Addario explained.

The American School Counselor Association recommended one counselor for every 250 students. Here in Wisconsin, the association said there’s one counselor for every 366 students.

Pretty alarming, but now the state is taking this creative step to help children get the care they deserve.

Samaritan Counseling’s wellness screen director told Action 2 News bringing more mental health care into schools supports families by eliminating some barriers, like money and transportation.

“We are making steps even if it’s one small step toward making sure kids have enough staff there to talk to, to confide in, to start the process. I think that’s really uplifting,” D’Addario said. “Maybe this is something we can finally start to agree on is our kids are struggling and we have to find a way to give them what they need where they are right now.”

Still, she said tight budgets could put up more roadblocks to hiring therapists.

“I think there are just so many things since then and what we’re really seeing is school districts trying to manage those competing priorities. Simply having enough money to have teaching staff, having enough money for the technology we use and need, having enough money for mental health services...”

D’Addario said this is still just a start:

“We can’t stop doing what we’re doing now. I hope families and school districts and people in our community realize these numbers are here and it’s not decreasing unfortunately.”

My law these therapists cannot work as a school social worker or counseling, only as a trained mental health professional. This new type of license needs to be renewed every two years.

Copyright 2024 WBAY. All rights reserved.

Two Rivers Police address rumors regarding Elijah Vue search

Emergency rule for walleye season takes effect

Mental health crisis prompts police response in Village of Howard

City of Neenah issues statement after Fox Valley Pride denied location in downtown area

FIRST ALERT WEATHER DAY: STRONG STORMS POSSIBLE LATE

Latest news.

Victim of Taycheedah crash identified

Demonstrators gather at UW-Oshkosh campus for pro-Palestine protest

Ethanol tanker crash closes part of Highway 91 in Oshkosh

Study: Car interiors have chemicals linked to cancer

Hy-Vee products recalled for salmonella risk

Watch CBS News

Florida clarifies exceptions to 6-week abortion ban after it takes effect

By Melissa Quinn

May 2, 2024 / 2:54 PM EDT / CBS News

Washington — Florida health regulators issued a new rule Thursday clarifying exceptions to the state's six-week abortion ban, detailing the treatments allowed for certain medical conditions that jeopardize the health of the pregnant woman and fetus.

The r ule from the state's Agency for Health Care Administration come a day after Florida's new abortion restrictions took effect . With the state's new law, abortion access is sharply limited across the Southeast.

The measure specifies that treatments for an ectopic pregnancy and trophoblastic tumor, a rare tumor that forms where the placenta attaches to the uterus, are not considered abortions. It also states that if a physician attempts to induce delivery to treat the premature rupture of membranes and the fetus does not survive, it is not considered an abortion.

The conditions can occur after six weeks gestation and "can present an immediate danger to the health, safety and welfare of women and unborn children" in hospitals and abortion clinics if not immediately treated, according to state regulators.

The agency said it initiated the rulemaking to "safeguard against any immediate harm that could come to pregnant women due to disinformation," and accused the media, Biden administration and advocacy groups of perpetuating a "deeply dishonest scare campaign" to misrepresent the state's abortion law. The emergency rule is necessary "to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of pregnant women and unborn babies during medical emergencies," according to the Agency for Health Care Administration.

Florida's six-week ban was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year but did not immediately take effect, as the state supreme court considered a challenge to a separate measure prohibiting abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. That 15-week restriction was passed by the state legislature in April 2022, months before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

The Florida Supreme Court in early April upheld the 15-week ban , clearing the way for the more restrictive, six-week law to take effect. 

The ban includes exceptions in cases of rape, incest and human trafficking up to 15 weeks of pregnancy. It also allows physicians to terminate a pregnancy if necessary to save the life of the mother or prevent "a serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment."  

Still, supporters of abortion rights have warned that the law is effectively a near-total ban on abortion, since many women do not know they are pregnant until after six weeks gestation.

Since the Supreme Court dismantled the constitutional right to abortion in June 2022, 14 states have outlawed abortion with limited exceptions. Another seven ban abortions in the first 18 weeks of pregnancy, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion rights research organization.

Many physicians in states with stringent abortion restrictions have struggled to navigate narrow exceptions to the bans. The Supreme Court last week considered a case that pit Idaho's near-total abortion ban against a federal law that requires hospitals to provide stabilizing care to patients experiencing medical emergencies. The Biden administration argued that under that federal law, stabilizing treatment may be abortion care, and in those instances, the federal measure overrides state laws restricting abortion access.

Melissa Quinn is a politics reporter for CBSNews.com. She has written for outlets including the Washington Examiner, Daily Signal and Alexandria Times. Melissa covers U.S. politics, with a focus on the Supreme Court and federal courts.

More from CBS News

The Supreme Court is nearing the end of its term. Here are the cases it still has to decide.

Floods in southern Brazil kill at least 60, more than 100 missing

Former GOP Senate candidate takes on House Republican who voted to impeach Trump

Trump campaign woos donors at Florida retreat

Advertisement

Tracking Abortion Bans Across the Country

By The New York Times Updated May 1, 4:40 P.M. ET

• Share full article

Twenty-one states ban abortion or restrict the procedure earlier in pregnancy than the standard set by Roe v. Wade, which governed reproductive rights for nearly half a century until the Supreme Court overturned the decision in 2022.

In some states, the fight over abortion access is still taking place in courtrooms, where advocates have sued to block bans and restrictions. Other states have moved to expand access to abortion by adding legal protections.

Latest updates

• The Arizona state legislature voted to repeal an 1864 ban on nearly all abortions. Officials warned that the near-total ban may be briefly enforceable this summer until the repeal takes effect in the fall. A 15-week ban remains in effect.
• A ban on abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy took effect in Florida , following a ruling by the Florida Supreme Court that the privacy protections of the state’s Constitution do not extend to abortion.

The New York Times is tracking abortion laws in each state after the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization , which ended the constitutional right to an abortion.

Where abortion is legal

In a few states that have enacted bans or restrictions, abortion remains legal for now as courts determine whether these laws can take effect. Abortion is legal in the rest of the country, and many states have added new protections since Dobbs.

Ban in effect

Note: TK note here.

Legal for now

State details.

More details on the current status of abortion in each state are below.

An earlier version of this article misstated the legal status of abortion in Utah. As of 4 p.m. on June 24, the state attorney general had issued a statement saying the state’s abortion ban had been triggered, but it had not yet been authorized by the legislature’s general counsel. By 8:30 p.m., the counsel authorized the ban and it went into effect.

A table in an earlier version of this article misstated which abortion ban is being challenged in Texas state court. Abortion rights supporters are challenging a pre-Roe ban, not the state’s trigger ban.

An earlier version of this article referred incorrectly to the legal status of abortion in Indiana. While Indiana abortion providers stopped offering abortion services in anticipation of an abortion ban taking effect on Aug. 1, the law did not take effect.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Trump may get another chance to be president. He's planning an aggressive second term

Stephen Fowler

Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump attends a news conference with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., on April 12, at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. Wilfredo Lee/AP hide caption

Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump attends a news conference with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., on April 12, at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla.

Donald Trump has already been president once, and has been outspoken about the policies he would support and enact if elected again in November.

He's promised mass deportations of millions of migrants and suggested the United States would not defend foreign allies from aggression in certain circumstances . He's vowed to eviscerate the federal bureaucracy and staff those career civil service roles with political loyalists, use law enforcement to target foes, and painted a dire picture of America's future if he does not return to the White House.

The NPR Politics Podcast

Trump plans a more radical second term.

In two wide-ranging interviews with TIME Magazine published Tuesday, Trump expanded upon that vision for a second term, which would buck traditional conservative viewpoints about the role of government and expand the powers of the presidency that he would then wield against a wide range of groups in America.

Trump touched on a number of topics that are important factors to voters ahead of November, like abortion, crime and the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump also made eyebrow-raising comments about political violence, using the military against civilians and about the multiple criminal cases against him.

Here's a few takeaways from one of the few longform interviews Trump has given this election cycle:

One of the biggest flashpoints in politics the last few years has been abortion access, following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade .

Trump has largely sidestepped questions about what specific policy he would support as president, and continued to do so in the TIME interview, arguing that the decisions are now made at the state level.

"I won't have to commit to [federal abortion restrictions] because it'll never — number one, it'll never happen," Trump said in the interview transcript. "Number two, it's about states' rights. You don't want to go back into the federal government."

Trump also deflected on a question about access to abortion pills, promising to release a statement on that "over the next 14 days."

That's an important question to answer, and one with great political consequence. As NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben has reported , Trump allies are pushing for him to enforce the Comstock Act, a 19th century law that could be used to halt the mailing of abortion pills and essentially stop all abortion in the U.S.

The former president insisted that it was up to states to make all decisions about abortion, including if they would monitor pregnancies to know if someone has an abortion or prosecuting them.

"It's irrelevant whether I'm comfortable or not," Trump said of the prosecution of women for having abortions. "It's totally irrelevant, because the states are going to make those decisions."

So far, voters have sided with abortion rights advocates every time the issue has been placed on the ballot, and several states — like Florida, where Trump lives — will have similar questions on the ballot this year. He declined to indicate how he will vote on that issue in November as well.

Immigration

Trump's aggressive stance on immigration is a cornerstone of his 2024 campaign, as well as a key issue for many Republican primary voters. But it's not just Republicans that have concerns about the U.S.-Mexico border, making Trump's pronouncements about immigration and migrants especially noteworthy.

Consider This from NPR

With a second term, trump would take his immigration crackdown further.

In campaign stump speeches, Trump has vowed to enact "the largest domestic deportation operation" in history and roll back virtually every Biden administration policy around the border. He continues to equate immigrants with crime, often mentioning murders and other grisly crimes committed by noncitizens as evidence that a crackdown is needed under his watch.

In the TIME interview, Trump takes that rhetoric a step further, suggesting he would use the National Guard and the U.S. military to go after migrants, potentially in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act that prevents federal troops from being used against civilians. When asked about that provision, he falsely said people in the country illegally "aren't civilians" and would not rule out constructing additional migrant detention camps.

Political violence, law enforcement and criminal indictments

Trump once said on Sean Hannity's show that he would not want to be a dictator "except for day one: I want to close the border, and I want to drill, drill, drill." Like many of his inflammatory claims, Trump said it was meant sarcastically as a joke, but it's just a small part of the aggrieved view he would bring to law enforcement in a second term.

In the interview, Trump claimed that a lot of people "like" language about being a dictator, and did not understand why anyone took it as anything other than a jest.

Trump said he is not worried about political violence in this year's presidential election, but implied it would be because he is victorious in November.

"Well, I do think we're gonna win. We're way ahead. I don't think they'll be able to do the things that they did the last time, which were horrible. Absolutely horrible. So many, so many different things they did, which were in total violation of what was supposed to be happening. And you know that and everybody knows that. We can recite them, go down a list that would be an arm's long. But I don't think we're going to have that. I think we're going to win. And if we don't win, you know, it depends. It always depends on the fairness of an election. I don't believe they'll be able to do the things that they did the last time. I don't think they'll be able to get away with it. And if that's the case, we're gonna win in record-setting fashion."

He faces multiple criminal trials in several states, including charges of federal election interference stemming from a hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels that he is facing trial for in New York currently ; and a racketeering case in Georgia stemming from his failed efforts to overturn his 2020 defeat there, and more than 800 of his supporters have been sentenced for various crimes stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection attempt at the U.S. Capitol seeking to stop the transfer of power to President Biden.

Investigations

The jan. 6 attack: the cases behind the biggest criminal investigation in u.s. history.

Trump repeated that he would consider pardoning those supporters.

At several times over the last few years, Trump has suggested he would go after political opponents and seek to prosecute them, ranging from Biden to local district attorneys that do not align with his views on crime.

In the interview, Trump said he would not go after Biden, but if the Supreme Court did not find presidential immunity applied to Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election, then Biden would be "prosecuted for all of his crimes, because he's committed many crimes."

There's no criminal charges currently pending against Biden, and a year-long effort to impeach the president over alleged improper business dealings with his son Hunter has stalled with no evidence of crimes.

If elected again, Trump would gut the federal bureaucracy and remake it in his ideological view, using something called Schedule F to fire career nonpartisan civil servants. A similar purge and rebuilding of the Republican National Committee and several key state Republican parties has taken place in recent years, with Trump's daughter-in-law Lara leading the RNC alongside former North Carolina GOP Chair Michael Whatley.

Trump said in the interview he would not hire anyone who believed Biden won the 2020 election, continuing to repeat false claims that voter fraud cost him the presidency but saw Republicans elected up and down the ballot in key states.

• political violence
• national guard
• law enforcement
• Illegal immigration
• Supreme Court
• Republicans