Criminal Law
Syllabus and Course Guide
WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS:
Each week (on Monday or Tuesday), an assignment will be posted to the course message board. Students are responsible to complete at least three of the posted assignments for the course. They will be graded, and they will count for 30% of the student’s grade for the course. If you complete more than three assignments, the best two of your assignment submissions will be graded. Assignments completed beyond the third one will also count as extra credit. Assignments can be submitted via e-mail or posted to the message board. Assignments must be submitted within seven days of the last day of the course for the student to receive credit for the assignment.
Each submitted assignment will be graded on the following scale:
3 – Excellent
2 – Good
1 – Accepted
0 – Not Acceptable (must re-submit)
In addition, feedback will be posted by the instructor for each assignment that has been submitted.
GRADING:
Each student who completes the requisite assignments and exams will be given a letter grade upon completion of the course. The course will be graded on the following basis:
Midterm Exam: 35%
Final Exam: 35%
Assignments: 30%
Important Note regarding exams:
Exams must be completed during the allotted time for the exam. A student will not be allowed a time extension in which to complete an exam, except under the following circumstances:
a) A request is made of the instructor prior to the exam and is granted by the instructor.
b) The student is ill or has another emergency that does not allow him or her to complete the exam in the allotted time.
c) The student experiences technical difficulties that do not allow him or her to complete the exam during the allotted time.
In any of these cases, alternative arrangements for completion of the exam will be made.
Lecture
and reading assignments schedule:
CLASS
ONE
In the first class,
we will go through an overview of criminal law and the American justice system.
We will introduce and discuss the various reasons for the existence of criminal
laws and the various rationales that exist behind punishing criminals. We will
also discuss the framework of the criminal justice system, including some of
the safeguards that are put into place to try to limit the chances of an
innocent person being convicted.
None
CLASS TWO
This class will begin with a focus on the basic legal definitions of “act” and “intent” that form the basis for all crimes. We will then take an in depth look at the various common law and Model Penal Code subcategories of intent and how they relate to different classes of crime. Finally, we will briefly examine the requirement of concurrence between the criminal act and the requisite intent.
Chapter
1: Basic Elements of a Crime
A. Actus Reus
B. Mens Rea – Common Law
C. Mens Rea – Model Penal Code
D. Causation
CLASS
THREE
This class will focus on the inchoate offenses of solicitation, conspiracy and attempt. Specifically, we will focus on the basic elements of each crime and the scope of criminal liability for each crime. We will then examine the various kinds of conspiracy and the different ramifications that each kind of conspiracy has on prosecuting of the defendants. Finally, we will review the various defenses a criminal defendant has at his disposal, specifically focusing on the doctrine of withdrawal.
Chapter
2: Inchoate Crimes
A. Solicitation
B. Conspiracy
C. Attempt
CLASS FOUR
This class will focus on the common law and modern treatments of homicide. We will examine the common law definitions and elements of murder and compare them to the degrees that the modern statutes divide murder into, including capital murder and felony murder. We will then explore the lesser manslaughter charges. Finally, we will briefly consider the legal definitions of life and death, including when life begins and when life is considered to be over.
Chapter
3: Homicide
A. Classifications: Common Law and Modern Law
B. Murder
C. Voluntary Manslaughter
D. Involuntary Manslaughter
E. Legal Definitions of Life and Death
CLASS
FIVE
This class will focus on the non-homicide crimes against persons and crimes against homes. Specifically, we will focus on the basic elements of each crime as well as their classifications as either general intent or specific intent crimes.
Chapter
4: Crimes Against Persons
A. Assault and Battery
B. Mayhem
C. Rape
D. False Imprisonment
E. Kidnapping
Chapter
5: Crimes Against The Home
A. Burglary
B. Arson
Midterm Examination
CLASS SIX
This class will focus on crimes against property. Specifically we will explore the various criminal acts of dispossession and the subtle but important differences between each act of dispossession.
Chapter 6: Crimes Against Property
A. Larceny
B. Embezzlement
C. False Pretenses
D. Robbery
E. Extortion
F. Receiving Stolen Property
CLASS
SEVEN
This class will focus on the scope of accomplice liability. Specifically, we will concentrate of the acts and intentions required to convict a third party as an accomplice. We will also review how far an accomplice’s liability extends. Finally we will focus on the various defenses that a criminal defendant has at his disposal.
Chapter 7: Scope of Criminal
Liability
A. Accomplices: Common Law Classifications
B. Accomplice Mens Rea and Actus Reus
C. Scope of Liability
D. Defenses to Accomplice Liability
CLASS EIGHT
In this class, we will begin our examination of the numerous defenses that can be mounted during a criminal trial. We will pay special attention to the insanity defense and the various different tests jurisdictions use to determine insanity. We will also focus of the defenses of intoxication, mistake of fact and law, and necessity and duress.
Chapter 8: Defenses
A. Infancy
B. Insanity
C. Diminished Capacity
D. Intoxication
E. Mistake of Fact
F. Mistake of Law
G. Necessity and Duress
CLASS NINE
In this class, we will continue our examination of the numerous defenses that can be mounted during a criminal trial. We will pay special attention to self defense. Specifically, we will explore when force can be used in self defense and when different levels of force are permissible. We will also focus on when force is permitted to protect third persons and property.
Chapter
8: Defenses
H. Entrapment
I. Consent
J. Self Defense
K. Defense of Others
L. Protection of Property
M. Effectuating
Arrests and Preventing Crime
Final Examination