Seminar - 3 hours. In this course, students will take on the role of Justices of, and advocates before, the Supreme Court of the United States. The 16 students in the course will be divided up into two panels of 8 Associate Justices (with the instructor to serve as the Chief for both panels). The course will begin with a short unit on the certiorari process, the crucial procedure through which the Supreme Court decides the cases it will hear. Each panel will review the materials for a case pending before the Court at the certiorari stage and debate whether to grant review.
The course will then transition to our primary undertaking: a series of between four and eight oral arguments involving actual cases before the Supreme Court. The cases will involve a mix of statutory and constitutional issues, as well as criminal and civil issues. Between two and four students will argue each case to the panel of Justices on which they do not sit. Arguments will be based on the briefs that have already been filed in the Court as well at least one class session previewing and preparing students for the substance of each case. After argument, the panels of Justices will meet to vote on argued cases, with the instructor assigning majority and dissenting opinions for each case. The written opinions will represent the final work product for the class, and constitute the primary portion of each student’s grade.
Classroom Policies: This course has a no-laptop policy.
Final Assessment: Skill Class Final Assignment (e.g. Trial, Mediation, Brief)
Graduation Requirements: May satisfy the Advanced Writing Requirement OR count towards the Professional Skills Requirement, student must choose one.
Grading Mode: Letter Grading