Syllabus for GOVT 357L:
A Weekly Course Outline.
Week
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
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Week 1 - American Legal History
Carp, Stidham & Manning, Chapter 1
US Constitution (LII)
Billof Rights (LII)
Supplemental Materials:
Week 2 - Structure of the Legal System (Courts, Legislatures, Agencies)
Carp, Stidham & Manning, Chapters 2, 3 & 4
Supplemental Materials
Week 3 - Lawyers
Carp, Stidham & Manning, Chapter 8
Supplemental Materials:
Q: Are lawyers criticized unfairly?
Andrew Cohen: “Taking the Fall” (Rocky Mountain News, November 30, 2002)
Criticism Unending: Overlawyered.Com
Steven Moore: “Trial Lawyers on Trial” (Cato Institute, May 10, 2003)
Douglas Bandow: “Buying Plaintiffs Justice” (Cato Institute, May 10, 2003)
Kenneth Howie: “Lawyers Under Fire” (International Academy of Trial Lawyers, 1991)
Aaron Podhurst: “The Status of the Lawyer and the Justice System” (International Academy of Trial Lawyers, 1987)
Q: What are the expectations for lawyer behavior?
Model Rules of Professional Conduct (ABA, 2003 edition)
Week 4 - Judges
Carp, Stidham & Manning, Chapter 5-7
Week 5 - Lower Court Process - Civil
Carp, Stidham & Manning, Chapter 11
Frank (1950) "The Fight Theory vs the Truth Theory" from Courts on Trial. Princeton University Press.
Tort Refom 2005: Class Action Fairness Act
Also see Nolo.com for additional information about lower court process
Week 6 - Lower Court Processes - Criminal Variations
Carp, Stidham & Manning, Chapter 9-10
"Certiorari" aka Tomayto/Tomahto
Carp, Stidham & Manning, Chapters 12 & 13
Llewellyn (1930) The Bramble Bush NewYork: Oceana, pp. 70-76 (excerpts).
Cases:
State v. Pendergrass (19 NC 365, 1837)
Joyner v. Joyner (59 NC 322, 1862)
State v. Black (60 NC 266, 1864)
State v. Rhodes (61 NC 453, 1868)
State v. Mabrey (64 NC 592, 1870)
State v. Oliver (70 NC 60, 1874)
Walker v. Birmingham
Alabama clergy Statement criticizing civil rights protest in Birmingham
Martin Luther King, "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" (A reply)
The Public and the Legal System (Litigants/Witnesses/Juries)
Alternative Dispute Mechanisms (Arbitration, Mediation, Community)
Also see Nolo.com for additional informationabout dispute resolution processes, esp., mediation
********** MIDTERM EXAM ***********
************* October 24th ***************
Impact of the Courts on the Political/Legal System
Carp, Stidham & Manning, Chapter 14 & 15
Cases:
Marbury v. Madison 5 U.S. 137 (1803)
Brown v. Board of Education (347 US 483)
Gideon v. Wainwright (372 US 335)
White v. Texas (310 US 530)
Introduction to the Criminal Justice System
Carp, Stidham & Manning, Chapters 9 & 10 (again)
Supplemental Readings:
Q: Is the cost of justice too high?
Maria Bondes: “Hill facing felony” (Colorado Daily, April 25, 2003)
Wilson & Kelling (1982) "Broken Windows" Atlantic Monthly (March) 29-38.
Policing - Discretionary Authority I
Reich (1966) "Police Questioning of Ordinary Citizens" Yale Law Journal 75: 1161-1172
Policing - External Controls/Judicial Intervention I
Crime File: "Search & Seizure"
The US Supreme Court & Search & Seizure Law
Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
Brown v. Texas (1979)
Hiibel v. 6th Judicial District Court (2000)
(Watch the video)
Policing - Discretionary Authority II POWERPOINT
The Use of (Deadly) Force
FBI/Uniform Crime Reports: Police Officers Killedand Assaulted
Police Views of Abuse of Authority
Adams, et al. (1999) The Police Use of Deadly Force Washington DC:National Institute of Justice
Chapter 4 Chapter 5 "TheForce Factor: Measuring and Asessing Police Use of Force..."
Eric J. Ross: “Death By Cop” (Boulder Weekly)
Fox Butterfield: “When the Police Shoot, Who's Counting?” (New York Times, April 29, 2001)
David Migoya: “Lawbreaking Cops Still On Job” (Denver Post, December 30, 2001)
Policing - External Controls/Judicial Intervention II
Use of Force
Crime File: "Deadly Force"
Tennessee v. Garner (1985)
Katz v. US (2000)
Policing - Internal Controls/Supervision, Training, IAD
Houston PD Training Bulletin: Use of Firearms
Houston PD Training Bulletin: Fresh Pursuit
Ft. Lauderdale PD Policy:
Internal Controlls/Supervision: Racial Profiling
Q: How do we balance anti-terrorism efforts with opposition to (racial) profiling?
Editorial: “The New Airport Profiling” (New York Times, March 11, 2003)
Julia Martinez: “Ex-Cop Arnold Blasts Profiling Bill” (Denver Post, March 30, 2001)
Chris Barge: “No Racial Profiling Found” (Boulder Daily Camera, April 14, 2001)
Reggie Rivers: "Profiling the Profilers" (Denver Post, August 29, 2003)
Denver PD: First Annual Report on Contacts (October 2002)
Week 14 - Rehabilitation/Decriminalization
The Queen v. Dudley & Stephens
Crime File: "Death Penalty"
Supplemental Materials:
Executions 1977 - 2000 (Nov 17)
Robert Blecker: “Among Killers, Searching For the Worst of the Worst” (Washington Post, December 3, 2000)
Robert Blecker: “When Do Killers Deserve to Die?” (Washington Post, December 10, 2000)
Q: Do we want a public death penalty?
Sara Rimer: “Sounds of the Georgia Death Chamber Will Be Heard on Public Radio” (New York Times, May 2, 2001)
Ray Suarez (Host) The Execution Tapes
Q: Should governors grant clemency? (When? For whom?)
“Text of Gov. George Ryan's Speech (commuting the Illinois death penalty)” (Rocky Mountain News. January 11, 2003)
Brian Crecente: “Owens Blasts Death Row Move On TV” (Rocky Mountain News, January 14, 2003)
Jodi Wilgoren: “Leaving Death Row Is Blessing and Curse” New York Times, January 17, 2003)
Scott Turow: “Clemency Without Clarity” (New York Times, January 17, 2003)
David Firestone: “Absolutely, Positively for Capital Punishment” (New York Times, January 19, 2003)
Paul Campos: “Ryan Went Too Far” (Rocky Mountain News, January 21, 2003)
The Public Debate:
Amnesty International - Letter to PresidentClinton
Amnesty International - TX to executementally disabled
American Bar Association - The DeathPenalty: A Scholarly Forum
ABA Journal - Capital Punishment: DeadlyChoices
Freeman - Does America Need a Death Penalty?
Sharp - Pro Death Penalty arguments
Bedau - Anti Death Penalty arguments
Willings - Federal Death Penalty Policies Examined
Martha W. Barnett: “President’s Message: Call to Action on Executions” (ABA Journal October 2000)
Bob Grant: “Capital Punishment A Valid Option” (Denver Post, March 18, 2001)
David Lane: “Stop Murder Sanctioned By The State” (Denver Post, March 18, 2001)
Bob Herbert: “Pull the Plug” (New York Times, April 24, 2003)
Johnson (1987)
Crime File: "Inside Prisons"
Supplemental Materials: