Spring 2017 Course Schedule

Criminal Law (LAW-507-001)
Ira Robbins

Meets: 01:30 PM - 02:50 PM (MW) - Yuma - Room Y401

Enrolled: 96 / Limit: 95

Administrator Access


Notices

Welcome to our Criminal Law class! I look forward to spending an exciting and rewarding semester with you!!

The Course Syllabus appears at the front of the Supplement, as well as in the attachment below.

Please be sure to 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 woman 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 & Rachel Barkow, Criminal Law and Its Processes: Cases and Materials (9th ed. 2012) [available in the AU bookstore, but you should feel free to purchase the book online or elsewhere -- ISBN: 978-1-4548-1755-0]

    NOTE: The 10th edition will be published at the end of 2016. ***DO NOT BUY IT*** The 9th edition is better! Whether you purchase the book new or used, please use the ISBN I have provided.

  • Ira Robbins, Criminal Law Supplement (2017) [You may purchase the Supplement in hardcopy in Room YT07 (Yuma building, Terrace level, Room 07) or access the pdf version for free on our MyWCL web site.]

    First Class Readings

    For the first class (January 9, 2017), please read:

    Supp vi-vii ("Important Notes");

    Supp viii ("MyWCL Information");

    Casebook 82 (bot)-89; Supp 1-5

    Read very quickly Casebook 75-82 (bot), 89-98, 115-124 (mid)

    [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):