Social Science Applied in Law

This course explores the interplay and conflict between law and social science evidence. Its purpose is to understand the many ways in which psychological research can or should have an influence on legal decision making. The course pays particular attention to how the Supreme Court uses, abuses, misuses, or neglects social science data. Topics include such traditional ones as school desegregation, eyewitness identification, and the operation of juries. Topics also include such nontraditional ones as obscenity and children's rights. Grades will be determined on the basis of class participation and a paper of moderate length.

Criminal Law

In the Fall semester, students will consider the constitutional rights of the accused including limitations on search and seizure, confessions, and identification.

In the Spring semester, students will study the substantive elements of criminal law, including the general elements of criminal liability, homicide, defenses, attempts, and accomplice and conspiracy liability.

Criminal Law and Psychology

This advanced seminar focuses on the criminal justice system's treatment of mentally disordered offenders. Students will learn about the major mental disorders and the ways in which our criminal law accounts for the impact of those illnesses on a defendant's criminal responsibility. Central to the course is a clinical case-based approach involving the observation and discussion of videotaped forensic evaluations. The cases are selected to illustrate key legal issues and problems on selected topics in the criminal aspects of mental health law, including: representing mentally disabled clients, adjudicative competence, criminal responsibility, mentally disordered offenders in the criminal justice system, criminal and civil justice system interactions, capital cases, sex offenders, juvenile offenders, and mental health expert testimony. The course also includes a visit to the forensic unit of a state psychiatric hospital. A final paper is required.