Secrecy Controversies (LAW-974-001)
Metcalfe
Meets: 10:00 AM - 11:50 AM (W) - Room 313
Enrolled: 7 / Limit: 14
Notices
There will be a guest speaker on oral advocacy skills during the Wednesday January 27 class: Patricia A. Millett, recently of the Office of the Solicitor General, who holds the record for most Supreme Court arguments by any woman now practicing before the Court. Room change: The room number for this course is now confirmed as Room 500. On Wednesday January 20, the class will meet in Room 603 at 10:00 and then move to Room 500.
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 continued 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. It is a professional skills requirement course. 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 1-7) of the 2009 Department of Justice "Freedom of Information Act Guide" (available at: http://www.justice.gov/oip/foia_guide09/introduction.pdf); read the introductory section (pages 887-92) of the 2004 "Privacy Act Overview" (available at: http://www.justice.gov/opcl/1974privacyact-overview.htm, 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.justice.gov/oip/04_3.html).