Adv Crim Pro: Plea Bargaining (LAW-708-002A)
Roberts, J.
Meets: 03:00 PM - 04:50 PM (M) - Room 527
Enrolled: 9 / Limit: 9
Notices
There are no notices at this time.
Description
The vast majority of criminal convictions – more than ninety percent -- come not from a public trial verdict, but rather after a closed negotiation process ending in a guilty plea. This course will examine plea bargaining and guilty plea jurisprudence, theory, and practice. It will consider a variety of issues, including debates over the utility, coercive aspects, and constitutionality of plea bargaining and guilty pleas; prosecutorial, defender, and judicial ethics; the collateral consequences of guilty pleas; procedural justice and cognitive bias in the plea process; and negotiation theory in the criminal context. The class will also visit criminal court with the professor to observe guilty pleas, and will undertake a plea negotiation simulation. All students will participate in the simulation, write a court observation reflection essay, and complete a short (10-page) research paper or project. A limited number of students may take the course for 3 credits by writing a longer paper (25 pages). A student who wishes to meet the upper level writing requirement through the 3-credit course must contact Professor Jenny Roberts at Jenny@wcl.american.edu prior to registration.
Textbooks and Other Materials
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First Class Readings
Not available at this time.