This course introduces students to the structures, purposes and jurisdiction of state and federal courts and the roles of lawyers, lay persons, judges and jurors in civil, criminal, administrative and alternative justice systems. Rudimentary skills in briefing cases and legal research and analysis will be developed. This course was previously CHS-261102 Introduction to Law and the Legal System.

Attributes: Liberal

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Legal Studies (LEST). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Legal Studies (LEST). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.

This course provides a broad overview of legal and policy issues related to mental illness and the areas in which mental disorder intersects with the law. Civil law concepts such as incapacity, civil commitment, deinstitutionalization, and community treatment are covered, as well as criminal law concepts such as incompetence and insanity. Expert testimony; issues of confidentiality; mandatory reporting; 'abuse excuses;' and mental illness in mitigation of criminal responsibility are analyzed. The treatment of mentally-ill incarcerated men and women, including rights to receive or to refuse treatment, is introduced. Legal and policy issues pertaining to community treatment, drug abuse and alcoholism, sex offenders, mental health courts, and the death penalty for the mentally disabled are also examined. Legal terms and relevant case law are studied; mental illness is defined and examined as a legal problem, and the broader policy issues implicated by mental disease and disorder are explored. This course was previously CHS-264514 Mental Health and the Law.

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Legal Studies (LEST). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.

The U.S. Supreme Court interprets and resolves constitutional law disputes using very particular theories which have evolved over time. In this course, students learn legal analysis, using Constitutional Law as both case study and context. Students learn how to understand U.S. Supreme Court decisions using these theories of constitutional analysis. Emphasis is on analyzing and evaluating constitutional theories presented in cases addressing: separations of powers, federalism, and individual liberties (substantive due process and equal protection). The course begins with an in depth understanding of the circumstances surrounding the Declaration of Independence and the ratification of the Constitution. This discussion forms the basis of understanding for the rest of the course.

Attributes: Liberal

This study examines the rights and liberties provided by the U.S. Constitution, focusing on the Bill of Rights. Students examine major cases defining, expanding, and/or shrinking the protections afforded by the Bill of Rights with specific attention to the first, second, fourth, fifth, and fourteenth amendments. Methods of judicial interpretation are explored as is the social context within which the disputes arose. Constitutional Law. Prior to taking this course, Students should have completed at least one prior study where they learned about briefing judicial decisions.

Attributes: Liberal

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Legal Studies (LEST). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.