Prosecutorial Ethics & Decision Making

SLN #: 12921
Course Prefix: LAW-691
Course Section: 012
Credit Hours: 2
Instructor(s): Ortiz
Course Books: View List of Books

Course Description:
The United States Supreme Court has described the role of the prosecutor as a Minister of Justice. Prosecutors are bound by a higher ethical standard than other lawyers – but how does that translate to their daily practice? As the world around us changes, how does that impact the work of the prosecutor – in other words, what does it mean to be a 21st century modern prosecutor? In the context of substantive criminal law topics, this course looks at the real-life responsibilities and decisions prosecutors must face every day. The varying nature of prosecution work will also be explored, ranging from federal to city prosecutors, trial to appellate, and rural to urban offices. The instructor for this course is a career prosecutor, currently serving as the Executive Director of the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council, and previously with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. The format for the course will be lecture and group discussion. The course will be graded on the basis of three 5-page papers and class participation, as described in the Syllabus. The course is recommended for any student who is considering a practice in criminal law.

Additional Information:
Credit Hours: 2
Grading Option: Letter Grade Only
Written Assignment: Yes, three 5-page papers
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: 16
Final Exam Given: No
Paper Or In-Class Presentation: Yes, see course description
Participation Points: Yes
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.