CRM/POL 123 Introduction to Law and the Legal System

Course Description: This course is an introductory survey of the history, structures, and processes of the U.S. legal system. It is designed to be taken as a first University-level course in law and should precede more specialized courses such as criminal, business, or constitutional law. Covered are basic legal concepts such as due process, the structure of the U.S. court system, and the major subdivisions of law such as civil procedure, criminal procedure, and the law of torts. The role of law in society, the analysis of judicial reasoning, and the application of legal concepts to factual situations are stressed. Prerequisite: None Textbook: The textbook information which appears on our Saint Leo Bookstore ordering site is as follows: Schubert (2015). Introduction to Law and the Legal System 11thEdition. Loose-leaf (Custom) ISBN-13: 978-1-337-68560-3 Schubert (2015). Introduction to Law and the Legal System 11thEdition. E-Book (Custom) ISBN-13: 978-1-337-56847-0 Your custom textbook was created from the following National text(s): Schubert (2015). Introduction to Law and the Legal System 11th Edition ISBN-13: 978-1-285-43825-2 Ch. 1-9 Samaha (2015). Criminal Procedure 9th Edition ISBN-13: 978-1-285-45787-1 Ch. 1-8, 10 & 15 Course Objectives:

1. Students must demonstrate a basic understanding of legal concepts such as substantive and procedural due process, constitutional interpretation, appellate review, and the history of the U.S. legal system.

2. Students must be familiar with the structure and jurisdiction of the U.S. court systems. 3. Students must demonstrate a basic familiarity with civil procedure. 4. Students should be able to demonstrate that they can brief and understand appellate court

decisions. 5. Students should be able to demonstrate that they know how to apply case and statutory law to

factual situations. 6. Students must demonstrate a basic familiarity with criminal law and procedure. 7. Students must be aware of the applications of equity and the spectrum of judicial remedies. 8. Students must demonstrate a basic familiarity with alternative dispute resolution. 9. Students must demonstrate a basic familiarity with contracts. 10. Students must demonstrate a basic familiarity with the law of torts. 11. Students must demonstrate a basic familiarity with the relationship between legislation and court

law. 12. Students must be aware of the applications of administrative regulations.

Core Value:

2

Personal Development: Saint Leo University stresses the development of every person’s mind, spirit, and body for a balanced life. All members of the Saint Leo University community must demonstrate their commitment to personal development to help strengthen the character of our community.

Evaluation: Assignment % of Grade Discussions (8) 8

Case Briefs (4) 32 Case Analyses (5) 60Review the sample brief on pp. 22-23 of your textbook.
Using the sample brief and your brief instructions as a guide, prepare a case brief on one of the following cases:
State of Kansas v. Dinh Loc Ta (p. 258)
State v. Gordon (p. 263)
Commonwealth v. Berggren (p. 268)
U.S. v. Scott (p. 275)