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L.S. Pre-law |
LS:
Pre-Law:
Course
Syllabus POS/PLA 440 Special Topics in Law Law in American Politics and Culture COURSE SYLLABUS SUMMER MTWTF - in K-300 @8:00-9:20 Instructor: Judge Richard Poland, Associate Professor of Law. Office Hours: 7:30-8:00 A.M. MTTF or by appointment in K-309. Telephone: Office 819-6338; e-mail polandrc@flagler.edu. Text: When
Law Goes Pop,
Richard K. Sherwin, 2000, University
of Chicago. Course Outline: I.
Historical
Perspective Grading: A
=
90-100,
B
=
80-89,
C
=
70-79,
D
=
60-69,
F
=
Below
60. Methods of Instruction: The professor will assist the student in understanding the material by using the Socratic method and by using film as legal text. Class discussion is an integral part of the course. I reserve the right to raise borderline grades for those students who add insightful comments to the dialogue. Disabilities Statement: Special services and reasonable accommodations are available for those students who are registered with the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities and who request assistance. Please notify me the first day of class, and I will reasonably accommodate you. TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE: The following schedule is subject to change if deemed necessary by the professor. Week
1:
Review
Class
Expectations
and
Course
Syllabus;
Read
Text
Chapters
1 & 2. Week
3:
The
Role
of
Politics
in
Law:
View
and
Discuss – The
Distinguished
Gentleman and Legal
Eagles. Read
Text
Chapter
4. Week 5: The Litigious Culture: View and Discuss – And Justice For All and Kramer v. Kramer. Read Text Chapters 6 & 7. Week 6: Psychological & Criminal Factors: View and Discuss – Nuts, Primal Fear, and The Wrong Man. Read Text Chapters 8 & 9. Week 7: Reflect, Review, and Final Exam. (See Registrar’s Schedule) Please Note: Selected excerpts from some of these films will be shown throughout the term to supplement the reading materials. As writing assignments are made, students are encouraged to rent the films so they can effectively integrate the film into the research paper. Papers are due two class periods following the completion of that section, except the papers for the last section which are due at the last Thursday of the class. Questions
to Ponder for Papers 1. What legal point(s) is the film making and does it make that point well? 2. How are the lawyers in the film portrayed (litigators, counselors, heroes, villains, etc.)? Are the portrayals authentic? 3. How do we interpret the social, political, legal, and cultural messages encoded in the film? 4. What are the examples of justice being served and/or justice not being served? 5. Is there tension between what the law demands and what justice requires? 6. Was the judicial/legal process just or unjust? 7. As a result of watching the film, what have you learned about lawyers and the legal process? 8. What recommendation would you make to reform the judicial system? - Discuss these questions in your paper, as you integrate the film, the texts, and the legal cases. - Use 12 font. All papers are due at class time two periods from the assignment, except for the last paper. Late papers are penalized at least one letter grade. - "A" papers will be analytical, integrate the course materials, and have a Bibliography. "B" papers will discuss the issues analytically. "C" papers will be merely competent. "D" papers will not be competent. "F" papers will be short and uninspiring. - Poor grammar, spelling, and punctuation will result in a lowered grade. College-level writing is required.
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