Peter J. Smith
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Turn to self-defense and get a better understanding of how criminal law tries to balance between the rights of the threatened and those who are threats. Along the way, consider issues including "the retreat doctrine," the "battered spouse syndrome," "stand your ground" laws, and the use of deadly force by the police.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Use a 1963 Supreme Court case, Gideon v. Wainwright, as a window into the relationship between litigation and the American legal system. You'll explore why we adopted this particular system, how it works, and why we teach law in America the way we do.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Lawsuits today often involve multiple plaintiffs suing multiple defendants on multiple claims. How does this kind of complex litigation work? First, consider the rules governing "joinder" - when claims and parties can be joined in one suit. Then, turn to a familiar (and special) multi-party suit: the class action.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
What makes civil procedure different from all other subjects law students encounter in their first year of school? Using a hypothetical lawsuit and two Supreme Court cases, explore the broad set of issues and questions any system of litigation must address, including the procedures needed to clear a person's name.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
To think like a lawyer, you have to approach legal doctrine actively and critically. Here, Professor Shadel teaches you how to read cases with an eye for particular concepts every good lawyer must keep in mind, including the role of precedent, inductive and deductive reasoning skills, and the use of analogies.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
During a trial, any lapse in a lawyer's attention could be extremely costly. Enter the task of voicing objections. Here, look at some of the most common types of evidentiary issues that might call for objections and learn why lawyers get only one shot at raising one.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
No, the discovery process isn't glamorous. But it's important in that it allows parties access to information to support their claims and defenses. How do we define the "scope of discovery," as well as terms like "substantial need" and "work product"? How can the process be used to wear down plaintiffs?
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Continue your look at personal jurisdiction by examining how the approach evolved into its modern standard, as well as the limits this approach places on the power of a plaintiff to haul a defendant into court far from the defendant's home. Central to this: 1945's International Shoe Co. v. Washington.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Here, Professor Cheng dives into modern products liability doctrine. What kinds of product defects qualify for this treatment? What kinds of products and manufacturers qualify? What's the effect of government regulations in certain cases? How are these massive cases, sometimes involving thousands of plaintiffs, resolved?
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
First, take a closer look at vicarious liability, a tort doctrine that states an employer is strictly liable for torts committed by employees during the scope of their employment. Then, consider the related tort doctrine of joint and several liability, which deals with when multiple parties contribute to a tort.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Ninety-percent of all criminal cases, surprisingly, don't end in a trial but in a plea bargain. Consider both plea bargains and criminal trials and how they complement one another. How - and why - did plea bargains come to dominate American justice? How does the jury system work?
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
A case argued before the Supreme Court of the United States is one of great significance. First, consider the history and evolution of the Supreme Court over the centuries. Then, using Citizens United v. FEC, gain insights into how political and ideological dynamics within the Court affect the cases brought before it.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Start your whirlwind tour of torts with an exam question Professor Cheng gives to his own students: one that will introduce you to the history, complexity - and oddities - of this aspect of law. What behaviors does tort law expect from us? What harms can we be responsible for?
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Professor Smith discusses jurisdiction: the power of the courts to hear a case and to render a judgment. As you'll discover, there are really two different types of jurisdiction, one of which is subject matter jurisdiction, which refers to the court's authority to hear cases concerning a particular subject matter.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
To understand how criminal law works, you first have to understand what a crime is. What are the purposes of criminal law? Why is textualism so important to distinguishing the bygone era of common-law crimes from those of the 21st century? Who are the key players involved in defining a crime?
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Cases involving legal causation and the foreseeability test are the favorites of many law professors. Using one of the most famous cases in the torts canon, Palsgraf v. Long Island Railroad, discover why legal causation is so intricately linked to policy, our sense of justice, and moral responsibility.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
In the first look at the Fourth Amendment, go inside the fascinating history behind the topic of government searches and privacy rights. You'll consider the scope of the Fourth Amendment, learn what defines "search" and "seizure," and ponder the role of modern technology in affecting how the Fourth Amendment works.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
The focus here is on negligence or other culpable conduct on the part of the plaintiff. What does tort law say about what happens when a plaintiff is at fault? Just how much of a two-way street is an issue like safety? For some answers, look to seat belts.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Just because a court has jurisdiction over a case doesn't mean it has jurisdiction over the defendant. Enter personal jurisdiction. Learn why this doctrine hasn't been constant over time, the importance of the (eventually replaced) Pennoyer ruling, and when an out-of-state defendant should be subject to personal jurisdiction.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Explore traditional strict liability through the lens of two common kinds of claims that don't require negligence: damage caused by animals and damage caused by ultra-hazardous blasts and explosions. Along the way, examine whether or not strict liability really is all that different from conventional negligence.