The Supreme Court (QWC)
795. Supreme Court* (Harpaz) (3 credits)
The focus of the course will be on the United States
Supreme Court. Students will take turns playing the roles of Supreme
Court Justices and advocates before the Court. Each student will be
assigned the task of filing a petition for a writ of certiorari to
convince the Court to review a lower court decision. Each student also
will write a brief and present an oral argument in a case before the
Court. The course “docket” will consist of 4 cases raising unresolved
constitutional issues. Priority in case selection for the docket will
be given to cases already granted review by the Supreme Court for
consideration during the current Term. The cases will be selected by
the instructor during the spring and summer. As they are selected, they
will be posted at www.wneclaw.com. Student preferences for assignment
to one of the four cases briefed and argued during the semester will be
taken into account in the case assignment process. When not playing the
role of advocate before the Court, students will have the opportunity
to serve as a Justice, questioning the advocates during oral argument
and writing an opinion in a case. In addition to the study of Supreme
Court practice and procedure and oral and written advocacy skills, the
course will include material on the role of the Supreme Court, the
judicial philosophies of the current Justices, the selection of
nominees to fill vacancies on the Court and the Court’s opinion writing
process. The class will meet one afternoon a week for 2 1/2 hours. Prerequisite:
Successful completion of the required LAW 501 Constitutional Law
course.
Course
Materials from Fall, 2006
- Docket
- Syllabus
- Case Assignments
- Case Selection Form
- Supreme Court Rules
- Certiorari
Readings
- Cert Petition Assignment
- Readings on Brief Writing
- Cert Assignment Grading Form
- Biographies of the Justices
- Brief Writing Instructions
- Draft a Cert Question
- First Draft Grading Form
- Readings on the 2005-06 Supreme Court Term
- Selection of a Supreme Court Justice
- Readings on Oral Argument
- Oral Argument Instructions
- Oral Argument Evaluation Form
- Final Brief Grading Form
- Readings on Opinion Writing
- Instructions for Opinion Writing Assignment
- Opinion Grading Form
Materials About 2009-10 Supreme Court Term
Watch as We Make This Law Disappear: How the Roberts Court Disguises its Conservatism (Oct. 4, 2010)Stays Were Common at High Court by Howard Bashman (July 9, 2010)
Related Links
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/
http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/index.html
http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/currentawareness/ussupremes.php
http://www.supremecourthistory.org
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/nation/courts/supremecourt/