Introduction to U.S. Law: Course Syllabus

Chicago-Kent College of Law
Course: Introduction to U.S. Law
2015 Location: China University of Politics and Law

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Textbook

William Burnham, Introduction to the Law and Legal System of the United States (5th ed. 2011).

This book is available from Amazon or West.

Other Printed Materials

Lecture Notes

Videos

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Syllabus:

Class 1

Course Overview

Intro to the Constitution
* Brief Constitutional History
* Gov’t Structure Per the Constitution
* Principles That Shape the Constitution

Reading Due:
* Burnham 1-18 (History and Governmental Structure)

Class 2

Intro to the Constitution (cont’d):
* Judicial Review
* Federalism and the Commerce Clause

Reading Due:
* Burnham 18-37 (History and Governmental Structure)
* Marbury v. Madison (U.S. 1803)

Class 3

Legal Methodology:
* Sources of Law and Their Hierarchy
* Anatomy of a Judicial Decision
* The Case Brief

Reading Due:
* Burnham 38-49, 73-79 (Legal Methodology)
* “How to Brief a Case” / Baxter v. Fugett (Okla. 1967)

Homework Due:
* Write your own brief of Baxter v. Fugett

Class 4

Legal Methodology (cont’d):
* Review case brief for Roberson v. Rochester Folding Box Co. (N.Y. 1902)
* Stare Decisis

Reading Due:
* Burnham 64-66 (Form and General Nature of Caselaw)

Homework Due:
* Write a case brief of Roberson v. Rochester Folding Box Co. (N.Y. 1902)

Class 5

Legal Methodology (cont’d):
* Induction/Deduction
* Analogies
* The Structure of Rules

Reading Due:
* Burnham 66-74 (The Legal Reasoning Process in Caselaw)

Class 6

Organization of the Court System:
* Trial Courts and Appellate Courts: Their Basic Characteristics and Interrelationship
* State and Federal Court Structure and Characteristics

Study Skills:
* Making a Class Outline
* Taking an Exam

Reading Due: Burnham 167-197 (Judicial System)

Class 7

The Adversary System and Jury Trials
* Intro to the Adversary System
* Jury Trials
* Video

Reading Due:
* Burnham 80-109 (Adversary System and Jury Trials)

Class 8

The Adversary System and Jury Trials (cont’d):
* Evidence Law
* Criticisms and Defense of the Adversary System

Reading Due:
* Burnham 109-126 (Adversary System and Jury Trials)

Class 9

Civil Procedure:
* The Pleading Stage of the Case
* The Discovery Stage
* Motion for Summary Judgment and the Final Pretrial Conference
* Judgments in Civil Cases: Money Damages, Equitable Relief and Costs
* Effect of Judgments
* Resolving Cases without Litigation

Reading Due:
* Burnham 226-253 (Civil Procedure)

In-Class Exercise: 2-3 minute presentation on a Federal Civil Procedure topic:
* Summarize relevant information from Burnham
* Supplement this by reading about your topic in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP) at http://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcp/

Class 10

Administrative Law:
* Types and Purposes of Administrative Agencies
* Rule-Making Functions of Agencies
* Adjudicatory Functions of Agencies
* Judicial Review of Agency Action
* Presidential and Congressional Controls on Federal Agency Action

Reading Due:
* Burnham 198-228 (Administrative Law)

Closed Book Exam

How to Succeed in This Class / Grading

Tips for success in this class:

  1. Do the reading and homework.
  2. As you encounter legal terms you don’t know, look them up in a legal dictionary. Black’s Law Dictionary is included in your WestlawNext subscription.
  3. As you do the reading and homework, note questions & comments, then raise them in class.
  4. Participate and volunteer in class.
  5. Embrace ambiguity: There are ambiguities and gaps in rules, facts, and how the rules should be applied to the facts. Identify them.
  6. Learn to analyze and argue from two (or more) sides.

Here is how your grade will be determined:

  • 80% exam
  • 20% class participation

What to Bring to Class

  • Your textbook (both parts)
  • All additional reading assignments you’ve completed. (We may refer back to them).
  • All homework assignments you’ve completed. (We may discuss them in class).
  • Feel free to bring English and legal English dictionaries