Secrecy Controversies (LAW-974-001)
Metcalfe
Meets: 10:00 AM - 11:50 AM (W) - Room 314
Enrolled: 7 / Limit: 14
Notices
There will be a guest speaker on oral advocacy skills during the Wednesday February 4 class: Patricia A. Millett, recently of the Office of the Solicitor General, who shares the record for most Supreme Court arguments by any woman now practicing before the Court and is a potential nominee to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. On April 25, by special arrangement with the Library of Congress, the class will have the opportunity to examine the papers of Justice Harry A. Blackmun on the subject of the Supreme Court's decision in Department of Justice v. Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, 489 U.S. 749 (1989).
Description
LAW-974 Seminar: Secrecy Controversies (2 hrs.) Explores many of the most controversial current legal issues under the Freedom of Information Act and related statutes through in-depth analysis of both sides of each issue. Students will gain experience in both written issue analysis and oral advocacy. This course will provide students with an extensive understanding of some of the most controversial legal and policy issues currently arising under the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act of 1974, and the government information law and policy field overall. The course begins with background instruction ensuring foundation familiarity with the concepts, policies, and statutory interrelationships involved. It then focuses on an array of significant, cutting-edge issues that currently define the legal and policy contours of this field, especially at this time of presidential transition. The course will examine these most controversial issues through student preparation of advocacy papers (akin to 10-page briefs) on either side of an issue, leading to oral advocacy of the opposing position in brief “moot court-style” fashion for the benefit and critique of their peers. Thus, the goal of the course is to provide all student participants with both the substantive knowledge of an advanced topics seminar and the advantages of simulated experiential learning in written issue analyses and oral advocacy as well. The written analysis, oral advocacy, two-hour final examination, and class participation will each constitute 25% of the total grade.
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.
First Class Readings
For the first class, students should read the introductory section (pages 5-22) of the 2007 "Freedom of Information Act Guide" (available at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oip/foia_guide07/introduction.pdf); read the introductory section (pages 887-92) of the 2004 "Privacy Act Overview" (available at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oip/04_7_1.html, first six bullets); and skim-read pages 1-13 of the 2006 "Department of Justice Freedom of Information Act Reference Guide" (available at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oip/referenceguidemay99.htm).