Annotation
The course will introduce the students to the U.S. legal system. The role of law in U.S. society as well as various current issues concerning the U.S. legal system will be discussed. The first part of the course will focus more on how the legal system in the U.S. functions in practice. For example, What's the difference between the U.S. Supreme Court and a State Supreme Court? What does a Motion for Summary Judgment mean? What is hearsay? Does the phrase "legal ethics" mean anything?
The second part will cover specific areas of contemporary law, including a basic knowledge of landmark court cases. No previous experience with legal studies is necessary for enrollment. Although there is some overlap with the Culture Wars in the Supreme Court course, this course will cover many topics not covered in that course.
The emphasis of the course will be an explanation of the legal system of the United States as well as the social, political, and economic consequences of US legal norms.