Curriculum Guide · Courses

Professor Irv Gornstein

J.D. Seminar 469 | 2 credit hours

This seminar seeks greater understanding of the Supreme Court's decisions by exploring the litigation process before the Court. We will examine the nature of effective advocacy before the Court and the ways in which advocates' strategies may influence the Court at each stage of a case. Specifically, we will examine the petition for certiorari and brief in opposition, merits briefs by the parties and amici, and oral argument. Class sessions will include short lectures, extensive in-class discussion of assigned materials, and moot court arguments. Assigned readings will consist of Supreme Court filings, transcripts of oral arguments, and some secondary sources. Course grades will be based on two written assignments. One written assignment will be to draft a brief in opposition to certiorari (10-20 pages); the other will be to draft a short paper relating to briefing (approximately five pages). Students will be expected to be prepared to participate, and to participate, at each seminar meeting.

This course will be enrolled via waitlist.