Local Government Law

Catalog description

This course explains the structure and operation of local governments within a federal system. The forms of local government, the sources and limits of their powers under state and federal law, and the impact of federal and state policies on local activities are closely examined. Key legal issues pertaining to personnel, public contracts and finances and tort liability of public officials and municipal corporations are analyzed. Emphasis is placed on the judiciary's role in defining the scope and limits of local governance and the attorney's role, as both counsellor and advocate, in the development of governmental policy and practice. Required of all students with a specialization in local government.