U.S. Criminal Law

Catalog description

This course will introduce students to the American criminal justice system-from arrest to conviction. The first half of the semester will focus on areas of American Criminal Law where students will learn what has to be proven to be convicted of various crimes, as well as different defenses available to defendants. We then will move on to American Criminal Procedure, with a focus on the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments, specifically when police can stop and search and a person's right to remain silent and right to an attorney. Class discussions will be based on the required textbook readings, as well as relevant, current cases, and practical, real-world aspects of Criminal Law and Procedure.