Homicide Law and Gender Based Violence

Catalog description

How can homicide law be reformed to take better account of the realities of intimate partner violence? This seminar will explore how the substantive and procedural rules applied in homicide cases address, and fail to address, a defendant's prior experiences of intimate partner violence. We will consider whether and how legal doctrines (such as self-defense, provocation, duress, mitigation, malice, aiding and abetting, and co-conspiracy liability) and legal practices (such as those governing prosecutorial charging decisions, evidentiary admission, and parole, commutation, and other forms of early release) should be modified to operate more fairly and more sensibly when applied to killings traceable in whole or in part to the defendant's own victimization. Students will be assigned research topics, taking into account their interests and preferences. Every student will be required to produce a final paper and an oral, in-class presentation. Grading will be based on the paper, the presentation, and class participation throughout the quarter. Elements used in grading: Attendance, class participation, class presentation, written assignments, final paper. CONSENT APPLICATION: To apply for this course, students must complete a Consent Application Form available at SLS Registrar https://registrar.law.stanford.edu/.