PS 205- NC State University

Fall 2008

Kuzenski

 

 

READING  1

 

What Is Law? What Is Justice?

 

 

1. Excerpts of definitions and explanations of “law” and “justice” from various sources

 

2. “Functions of Law” and “Dysfunctions of Law,” excerpted readings from Steven Vago, Law and Society 9th ed. (Upper Saddle River NJ: Pearson, 2008), 19-26.

 

3. Johnson v. M’Intosh, 21 U.S. (8 Wheat.) 543 (1823), with notes. From Getches, Wilkinson and Williams, Jr., Cases and Materials on Federal Indian Law, 4th ed. (St. Paul MN: West Group, 1998), 63-72.

 

 

READING  2

 

The Actors: “Zealous Advocacy” and the Professional Behavior of Lawyers

 

1. Alibhai, Jamil N., Brian A. Farlow and John D. Van Loben Sels. 1998. “Zealous Advocacy and the Search for Truth,” 61 Tex. B.J. 1009.

 

2. Reisman, Andrew L. 1993. “An Essay on the Dilemma of ‘Honest Abe’: The Modern Day Professional Responsibility Implications of Abraham Lincoln’s Representations of Clients He Believed to be Culpable,” 72 Neb. L. Rev. 1205.

 

3. Selected Rules, 2002 Model Rules of Professional Conduct. From American Bar Association website at www.abanet.org, Committee on Professional Responsibility.

 

4. Haskell, Paul. 1988. “The Behavior of Lawyers,” chapter 1 of Why Lawyers Behave As They Do (New York: Westview Press, 1988), pp. 1-25.

 

 

READING 3

 

The Actors: Jury Issues: Powers, Selection, Peremptory Challenges & the Nullification Power

 

1. “Summary Judgment” and “Judgment as a Matter of Law,” encyclopedia entries from Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org).

 

2. Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79 (1986).

 

3. Example of Pattern Jury Instructions—Tennessee Pattern Instructions on First Degree Murder (Premeditated Killing), T.P.I.- Crim. 7.01(b). From www.tncrimlaw.com website.

 

4. State v. Ragland, 105 N.J. 189, 519 A.2d 1361 (1986), with notes. From Dressler, Cases and Materials on Criminal Law (St. Paul MN: West Publishing, 2003), pp. 19-28.

 

 

 

 

 

READING 4

 

Criminal Law & Public Policy:  Plea Bargains, the Insanity Defense and Issues in Mandatory and Structured Sentencing

 

1. Guidorizzi, Douglas D. 1998. “Should We Really ‘Ban’ Plea Bargaining? The Core Concerns of Plea Bargaining Critics,” 47 Emory L.J. 753.

 

2. “Should the Insanity Defense Be Abolished?,” exchange between Jonathan Rowe and Richard Bonnie. From Katsh and Rose, Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Legal Issues, 12th ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006), 95-114.

 

3. “Is a Sentence of Life in Prison for Stealing $150 Worth of Videotapes Constitutional?,” opinions of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and Justice David Souter in Lockyer v. Andrade, 538 U.S. 63 (2003). From Katsh and Rose, Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Legal Issues, 12th ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006), 208-221.

 

 

READING 5

 

Civil Law & Public Policy: Contributory Negligence and Copyright/File-Sharing

 

1. Cases on Contributory Negligence, incl. Ragland v. Moore, 299 N.C. 360, 261 S.E.2d 666 (1980),  Brower v. Robt. Chappell & Assoc., Inc., 74 N.C. App. 317, 328 S.E.2d 45 (1985) and Taylor v. Walker, 320 N.C. 729, 360 S.E.2d 796 (1987).

 

2. Copyright Materials— (A) “Copyright Act of 1976,”  (B) “Sony Corp. of America v. University City Studios, Inc.,” (C) “A&M Records v. Napster, Inc.” and (D)  “Does the Sharing of Music Files Through The Internet Violate Copyright Laws?,” opinions of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer from MGM Studios v. Grokster, 545 U.S. 913 (2005). From Katsh and Rose, Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Legal Issues, 12th ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006), 75-94.