Criminal Law (LAW-507-002)
Fan
Meets: 01:30 PM - 02:50 PM (MW) - Room 402
Enrolled: 99 / Limit: 103
Notices
There are no notices at this time.
Description
Criminal law is about violence, sex, drugs, rebellion, passion, fear, anger, and morality. It is also about how we organize and order society, tell people what not to do—and sometimes what to do—and legitimately inflict harm in the name of preventing or redressing harm. Criminal law is one of those indispensable subjects that connect with your life and the lives of your loved ones regardless of what path in the law you choose. In our semester survey of the domain, we will study criminalization and punishment; the actus reus (act) and mens rea (mental state) components of crimes; the paradigmatic crimes of violence: homicide and rape; general defenses, including self-defense, battered spouse syndrome, defense of others, necessity, duress, insanity, diminished capacity, and intoxication; criminal statutes and the principles of nulla poena sine lege (legality) and void-for-vagueness; liability for attempts; how American criminal law deals with collective criminality; and mercy and its dilemmas.
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
I. Criminalization • Casebook pages 1—9. • Excerpts for Class I, posted on Blackboard (Lawrence v. Texas and overcriminalization article excerpts).