Scientific Evidence

SLN #: 14972
Course Prefix: LAW-649
Course Section: 001
Credit Hours: 2
Instructor(s): Plunkett
Course Books: View List of Books

Course Description:
This seminar examines the legal principles governing the use of scientific evidence in civil and criminal litigation. It also describes the basic scientific underpinnings of expert testimony from the physical, biological, medical, behavioral, and statistical sciences. Particular attention will be paid to DNA evidence. The course will also focus on problems involving the actual courtroom testimony of experts taken from transcripts of actual trials. This will permit direct and cross examination of experts from various scientific fields who will be appearing during the course. The goal of the course is to familiarize students with all aspects of the scientific expert in the courtroom both on direct and cross examination. In addition, a series of litigation-related research and writing exercises will be assigned. These may take the form of office memoranda, pretrial motions and memoranda of points and authorities, appellate briefs, or court opinions in simulated cases. Grades will be based on the written and oral exercises and answers to problems. These will be critiqued by the instructors, and there will be opportunities for rewriting. Some federal judges and experts will participate in teaching the course and evaluating the exercises.

Additional Information:
Credit Hours: 2
Grading Option: Letter Grade Only
Graduation Writing Requirement: No
Flexible/Upper-Level Writing Requirement: Yes
Skills Requirement: No
Simulation Course: No
Experiential Learning: No
Seminar: No
Special Withdrawal Course: No
Limited Enrollment Number: 15
Final Exam Given: No
Attendance Policy: Per Statement Of Student Policies

* The law school has a policy that is used to calculate credit hours. Please see the Statement of Student Policies.