Study

This course will study the substantive law, policy, and practices of the federal criminal justice system. Students will learn the constitutional and statutory bases for federal jurisdiction and study the federal justice system’s unusual legal and institutional features. We will discuss major categories of federal crimes including firearms, fraud, drugs, conspiracy, violent crime, immigration, terrorism, civil rights, and sexual offenses, focusing on substantive law as well as policy objectives and controversies. We will conclude by learning about federal sentencing and—time permitting—restitution and forfeiture.

This class will be heavily discussion based. Learning objectives include understanding what makes the federal system unique, becoming familiar with major federal crimes and their elements, and engaging in broader debates around federal criminal enforcement. We will probably touch on some current cases percolating in the federal system and the Supreme Court. And hopefully a guest visitor or two will discuss their real-world experiences.

Course evaluation will consist of a short, midsemester writing assignment; a take-home exam; and class participation. (The expectations for the writing assignment and exam will reflect that this is a two-credit class.) The course will touch on topics like criminal policy, incarceration, racial disparities, sexual assault, and drug abuse and overdoses. Students enrolled in this class should be prepared to discuss sensitive and controversial topics professionally.

This course examines the role of the federal government in the criminal justice system, focusing on significant federal offenses criminalizing fraud, public corruption, drugs, money laundering, racketeering, firearms, and terrorism. We will also consider prosecutorial discretion, plea bargaining, and sentencing in the federal system. The objective of this course is to master doctrine and to learn how to debate federal criminal law's merits and proper limits. Public policy, theory, critical thinking, writing, and oral advocacy will be emphasized.

Federal criminal law is recommended either for second- or third-year students. It is especially helpful for students who will have a federal judicial clerkship, and those who anticipate a career in litigation. There are no prerequisites.

Each student will participate in two mock appellate cases, once as a judge and once as an advocate. The course grade will be based on class participation, the mock cases, and a take-home examination, allocated as follows:

Points/Approximate percentage of final grade

• 25 argument #1 28%
• 25 argument #2 28%
• 30 take-home exam 33.3%
• 10 class participation 11%

The maximum for each argument is 25 points, allocated as follows:

Advocates:

• 15 points: written summary of argument
• 10 points: for the oral presentation (substance and style)

Judges:

• 5 points: written questions
• 10 points: written preliminary disposition
• 5 points: writing (questions and summary disposition)
• 5 points: oral questions & final explanation of the decision at the close of the arguments

This course examines the role of the federal government in the criminal justice system, focusing on significant federal offenses criminalizing fraud, public corruption, drugs, money laundering, racketeering, firearms, and terrorism. We will also consider prosecutorial discretion, plea bargaining, and sentencing in the federal system. The objective of this course is to master doctrine and to learn how to debate federal criminal law's merits and proper limits. Public policy, theory, critical thinking, writing, and oral advocacy will be emphasized.

Federal criminal law is recommended either for second- or third-year students. It is especially helpful for students who will have a federal judicial clerkship, and those who anticipate a career in litigation. There are no prerequisites.

Each student will participate in two mock appellate cases, once as a judge and once as an advocate. The course grade will be based on class participation, the mock cases, and a take-home examination, allocated as follows:

Points/Approximate percentage of final grade

• 25 argument #1 28%
• 25 argument #2 28%
• 30 take-home exam 33.3%
• 10 class participation 11%

The maximum for each argument is 25 points, allocated as follows:

Advocates:

• 15 points: written summary of argument
• 10 points: for the oral presentation (substance and style)

Judges:

• 5 points: written questions
• 10 points: written preliminary disposition
• 5 points: writing (questions and summary disposition)
• 5 points: oral questions & final explanation of the decision at the close of the arguments

This course examines the role of the federal government in the criminal justice system, focusing on significant federal offenses criminalizing fraud, public corruption, drugs, money laundering, racketeering, firearms, and terrorism. We will also consider prosecutorial discretion, plea bargaining, and sentencing in the federal system.  The objective of this course is to master doctrine and to learn how to debate federal criminal law's merits and proper limits.  Public policy, theory, critical thinking, and oral advocacy will be emphasized.

The grade will be based on mock arguments and a take-home examination.

Federal criminal law is recommended either for second- or third-year students. It is especially helpful for students who will have a federal judicial clerkship, and those who anticipate a career in litigation. There are no prerequisites.

Syllabus: 330.01.Spring2020-syllabus.pdf46.1 KB

This course examines the role of the federal government in the criminal justice system, focusing on significant federal offenses criminalizing fraud, public corruption, drugs, money laundering, racketeering, firearms, and terrorism. We will also consider prosecutorial discretion, plea bargaining, and sentencing in the federal system.  The objective of this course is to master doctrine and to learn how to debate federal criminal law's merits and proper limits.  Public policy, theory, critical thinking, and oral advocacy will be emphasized.

The grade will be based on mock arguments and a take-home examination.

Federal criminal law is recommended either for second- or third-year students. It is especially helpful for students who will have a federal judicial clerkship, and those who anticipate a career in litigation. There are no prerequisites.

This course examines the role of the federal government in the criminal justice system, focusing on significant federal offenses criminalizing fraud, public corruption, drugs, money laundering, racketeering, and terrorism. We will also consider prosecutorial discretion, plea bargaining, and sentencing in the federal system.  The objective of this course is to master doctrine and to learn how to debate federal criminal law's merits and proper limits.  Public policy, theory, critical thinking, and oral advocacy will be emphasized.

The grade will be based on mock arguments and a paper.

Federal criminal law is recommended either for second- or third-year students. It is especially helpful for students who will have a federal judicial clerkship, and those who anticipate a career in litigation. There are no prerequisites

This course examines the role of the federal government in the criminal justice system, focusing on significant federal offenses criminalizing fraud, public corruption, drugs, money laundering, racketeering, and terrorism. We will also consider prosecutorial discretion, plea bargaining, and sentencing in the federal system.  The objective of this course is to master doctrine and to learn how to debate federal criminal law's merits and proper limits.  Public policy, theory, critical thinking, and oral advocacy will be emphasized.

The grade will be based on mock arguments and a paper.

Federal criminal law is recommended either for second- or third-year students. It is especially helpful for students who will have a federal judicial clerkship, and those who anticipate a career in litigation. There are no prerequisites