Spring 2009 Course Schedule

Criminal Law (LAW-507-001)
Robbins

Meets: 01:30 PM - 02:50 PM (MW) - Room 401

Enrolled: 100 / Limit: 103

Administrator Access


Notices

The Course Syllabus appears at the front of the Supplement, as well as in an attachment to this web page (see below).

Please bring the Supplement with you to the first class.

Note: Maximum of five unexcused absences allowed.

Description

Major problems of criminal law as a device for controlling socially undesirable behavior. Intended to give students working knowledge of the legal principles determining criminal liability in light of theories advanced to justify punishment and other methods of correction. Topics include: the nature of crime and its elements (mens rea and actus reus); common law and statutory offenses (e.g., homicide, rape, burglary, robbery, larceny); inchoate crimes (attempt, solicitation, and conspiracy); combinations of persons in crime (conspiracy and accomplice liability); defenses (e.g., self-defense, defense of others, battered spouse syndrome, necessity, duress, intoxication, insanity); and justifiable and excusable acts or omissions.

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.

The two books we will use are:

  • Sanford Kadish, Stephen Schulhofer & Carol Steiker, Criminal Law and Its Processes: Cases and Materials (8th ed. 2007) [available in the AU bookstore], and

  • Ira Robbins, Criminal Law Supplement (2009) [available at WCL in Room 465].

    First Class Readings

    For the first class (January 12, 2009), please read:

    Supp viii ("Important Notes");

    Supp ix-x ("Blackboard Information");

    Casebook 73 (mid)-78 (bot);

    Read very quickly Casebook 67-73 (mid), 79-105; Supp I-1 to I-16

    [Class discussion will focus primarily on the Dudley & Stephens case.]

    Syllabus

    Use your MyAU username and password to access the syllabus in the following format(s):