Adv Crim Procedure: Plea Bargaining (LAW-708-001)
Roberts
Notices
With approval from Professor Jenny Roberts prior to registration, a limited number of students may write a paper that meets the upper level writing requirement (minimum of 30 pages). These pre-approved students will receive 3 credits for the course.
Description
The vast majority of criminal convictions – more than ninety percent -- come not from a public trial verdict, but rather after a closed negotiation process ending in a guilty plea. This course will examine plea bargaining and guilty plea jurisprudence, theory, and practice. It will consider a variety of issues, including debates over the utility, coercive aspects, and constitutionality of plea bargaining and guilty pleas; prosecutorial, defender, and judicial ethics; the collateral consequences of guilty pleas; procedural justice and cognitive bias in the plea process; and negotiation theory in the criminal context. The class will also visit criminal court with the professor to observe guilty pleas, and will undertake a plea negotiation simulation. All students will participate in the simulation, write a court observation reflection essay, and complete a 20-page research paper or project.
Textbooks and Other Materials
The textbook information on this page was provided by the instructor. Students should use this information when considering purchases from the AU Campus Store or other vendors. Students may check to determine if books are currently available for purchase online.
TBD
First Class Readings
Not available at this time.