Categories: Criminal Law

Instructor(s)

Kempinen, Ben

Course Data

Room 5223
MTWR 11:00am-11:55am

Course Description

Problems in defining what conduct should be subject to criminal penalties; the limitations of criminal law as a means for prevention and control of undesirable conduct.

Learning Objectives for this Class

This is a class about criminal law. When we are finished, you will know a great deal about how criminal laws are created and applied. The lessons of this class are not limited to criminal law; the class is designed to help you develop skills necessary for effective practice in any substantive area. At the end of the term you each should understand:

• the allocation of authority between the three branches of government and between federal, state and local agencies
• how policies are transformed into law – statutes, administrative rules, or executive orders
• the difference between a criminal and a non-criminal offense
• how a statutory code is constructed and how its various parts fit (or sometimes, do not fit) together
• how to read and break down statutes to determine the elements of crimes and defenses
• how to read and understand the precise holding of an appellate court decision
• how to apply statutory definitions to specific fact situations

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