Law and Society
Saint Louis University – Spring 2021
This course is an introduction to the functions of law and the legal system in American society. The course material will stress the realities of the operation of the legal system, as well as the continuous interactions and feedback between the legal and political systems. Course material generally falls within four main topics:
- Introduction to legal concepts and legal theories
- Analyzing the operation of the appellate courts, with emphasis on the US Supreme Court
- Examining the operation of American trial courts, especially juries and the criminal courts
- Investigating linkages between culture and law
Constitutional Law
Washington University in St. Louis – Summer 2018, Spring 2020, Summer 2021
Many of the most important political debates today involve the structure and powers of the federal government. This course provides an introduction to federal constitutional law, focusing on the institutional powers of the federal government. After an introduction to the American judicial system and methods of constitutional interpretation, we discuss judicial review, the powers of the branches of the federal government, and the relationship between the states and the federal government.