LGS2004: Criminal Law

This course familiarizes the student with substantive criminal law and criminal procedures. It enables the student, under the supervision of a lawyer, to prepare pre-trial pleadings, interview witnesses, and conduct trial and post-trial proceedings. This course shall contain a survey of the vast field called "criminal law." The course will begin with a discussion of the source of much of today's criminal law, the great English legal tradition of the "common law." A general review of the guiding legal principles of the criminal law, the principles of criminal liability, including the liability of multiple actors; uncompleted crimes and defenses will be carefully examined. Specific crimes such as murder, burglary, rape, arson, theft, and various "public disorder" crimes will be studied, also. Theories of prosecution and punishment will be analyzed. A discussion on computer and Internet related crimes will be discussed as well. This course should give each student a practical, useful understanding of criminal law, criminal procedure, and the criminal justice system. The use of the actual criminal laws of the state will be stressed. The roles of the various participants in the system will be explained and examined (judges, lawyers, victims, peace officers, etc.). Invited speakers will provide the students with personal accounts of their role within the system. Class discussions will stress the relationship between the material being studied by the class and the material's application to the daily functions of our community's and nation's courts.