Law and Politics POL 106 Spring 2017 MW 2:50 4:10 pm Important Note: This is a telepresence course, which meets in two classrooms simultaneously. I will move between classrooms on alternate days, and you will see and hear me through audio and video when I am not physically in your classroom. Teaching Assistants: William Young william.j.young@rutgers.edu Christabel Cruz christabel.cruz@rutgers.edu Course description: This class is designed to introduce you to the study of law and the courts as an integral part of the political process in the United States. By the end of the semester, each of you will understand the history and principles of the US Constitution, the structure and function of US court systems, the process for selecting judges and justices, how the Supreme Court in particular functions and makes decisions, what factors influence legal decisions, how to interpret Supreme Court decisions, and the on-going debate on the proper role of the Court in a democratic political system. This course also fulfills the following Core Curriculum requirements: SCL, HST: Areas of Inquiry: Social and Historical Analysis Discussion sections: In addition to lectures, you will need to attend six discussion sessions. Attendance at all sessions is mandatory. Please consult the section schedules below. The first discussion sessions will take place during Week 3. These discussion sessions replace the Wednesday lecture of that week. You will never have more than two meetings of this course in any week. Section # Day/Time TA Location Dates
T1 Wed. 12-1:20 pm T2 Wed. 2:50-4:10 pm T3 Tues. 1:40-3 pm T4 Tues. 12:35-1:55 pm T5 Wed. 2:50-4:10 pm T6 Wed. 10:55 am-12:15 pm Christabel Cruz Christabel Cruz Christabel Cruz SEC 211 2/1; 2/15; 3/1; Wright Auditorium 2/1; 2/15; 3/1; LSH B112 1/31; 2/14; 2/28; 3/21; 4/4; 4/25 Will Young Hickman 201 1/31; 2/14; 2/28; 3/21; 4/4; 4/25 Will Young Loree 24 2/1; 2/15; 3/1; Will Young Hickman 211 2/1; 2/15; 3/1; It is your responsibility to check the course web page on Sakai on a regular basis. We will post important announcements about the class on the page, and we will email you about any unexpected class cancellations using the email address that is linked to the web page. Make sure you check this email address frequently. It is University policy to excuse without penalty students who are absent from class because of religious observances, and to allow the makeup of work missed because of such absence. Required readings: No textbook required! All readings can be found in the Resources section of the Sakai course site. Exams: We will have a midterm and a final exam. Each will be worth 35 percent of your grade. The dates are noted on the class schedule. Makeup exams will be given only to those students whose absence is documented by a doctor s note. Leaving campus for a family vacation or other trip home is not an acceptable excuse for missing an exam. Writing assignments: There will also be two writing assignments during the semester. We will post specific guidelines for each assignment on the Resources page on Sakai. Each paper will be worth 10 percent of your grade. The first assignment will be due on Feb. 13. Late papers will be penalized.
Academic integrity: It is unethical and unacceptable to hand in an essay or paper that has been copied from someone else s work. Your papers and exam essays must be written in your own words. Copying or downloading words from a book, article, website or another student s paper is not acceptable and is considered plagiarism. Plagiarism, cheating during exams and all other forms of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be reported to the appropriate university authorities. For more information, visit the university s Academic Integrity page at academicintegrity.rutgers.edu. Disability accommodation: I take seriously the need to provide an environment where all students can participate equally and to accommodate students with disabilities. If you need any reasonable accommodations, please let me know as soon as you can. Grades: Your course grades will be calculated using the following formula: Midterm exam 35% Final exam 35% Writing assignments 20% Discussion section attendance/participation 10% Course Schedule Jan. 18 Jan. 23 Introduction The Constitution The Founding and the Constitution, We the People, Ginsberg et al. The Constitution of the United States Jan. 25 Jan. 30 Legal Systems Functions of Courts, Basics of Legal Analysis, and Sources of Law, Judicial Politics in the United States, Miller Federal Courts
The Federal and State Court Systems, Judicial Process and Judicial Policymaking, Tarr Jan. 31 & Feb. 1 Feb. 6 Feb. 8 & 13 Feb. 14 & 15 Feb. 20 Feb. 22 Feb. 27 Morse v. Frederick How to Read a U.S. Supreme Court Opinion Legal Reasoning What Legal Reasoning Is and Why It Matters, Reason in Law, Carter & Burke Change and Stability in Legal Reasoning, Reason in Law, Carter & Burke US Supreme Court The U.S. Supreme Court, American Judicial Process, Corley et al. Marbury v. Madison Brown v. Board of Education I and II The Hollow Hope, Introduction, chapter 2, chapter 5 More on the US Supreme Court Legislatures and the Courts, Judicial Politics in the United States, Miller Executives and the Courts, Judicial Politics in the United States, Miller McCulloch v. Maryland Federal Judges Federal Judges, Judicial Process in America, Carp et. al. Policy Links among the Citizenry, the President, and the Federal Judiciary, Judicial Process in America, Carp et al. State Judges TBA Feb. 28 & Mar 1 March 6 March 8 Review *** MIDTERM EXAM*** Litigation and Interest Groups
Interest Groups and Their Influence on Judicial Policy, New Directions in Judicial Politics, McGuire March 20 Mar 21 & 22 March 27 March 29 April 3 April 4 & 5 April 10 April 12 April 17 April 19 April 24 Criminal Law Trial Courts, The Judicial Process, Banks and O Brien Black Lives Matter Criminal Law Miranda v. Arizona Mapp v. Ohio Gideon v. Wainwright Civil Litigation Trial Courts: How Civil Cases Begin, Judicial Process: Law, Courts and Politics in the United States, Neubauer and Meinhold Civil Litigation Trial Courts: How Civil Cases End, Judicial Process: Law, Courts and Politics in the United States, Neubauer and Meinhold Trials and Juries Trials, American Judicial Process, Corley et al. Freedom of Speech Schenck v. US Brandenburg v. Ohio Snyder v. Phelps Freedom of Religion Sherbert v. Verner Employment Division v. Smith Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Equal Protection Loving v. Virginia US v. Windsor Obergefell v. Hodges Guns and abortion
DC v Heller Roe v. Wade Planned Parenthood v. Casey Whole Woman s Health v. Hellerstedt April 25 & 26 May 1 May 10 Review Catchup ***FINAL EXAM*** 12 pm