Mass Tort Litigation
SLN #: 32507Course Prefix: LAW-647
Course Section: 001
Credit Hours: 3
Instructor(s): Grey
Course Books: View List of Books
Course Description:
Civil litigation in our courts is dominated by mass tort cases, ranging from asbestos personal injury litigation, Agent Orange in Vietnam, silicone breast implants, the 9/11 litigation, the BP Oil Spill, Dalkon Shield, and the NFL Concussion Litigation to the opioid litigation. This class explores the theory and practice of mass torts, including substantive laws and court procedures designed to help us resolve big disputes, while protecting individual due process rights; the unique strategic and ethical problems facing mass tort litigators and judges; and how courts try to resolve national problems in a consistent manner, while safeguarding federalism values. The class will explore such procedural devices as class actions, the multi-district litigation (MDL) statute, the Class Action Fairness Act, and joint trials, as well as substantive tort and products liability law, including proving legal causation and the use of scientific evidence.
Additional Information:
Credit Hours: 3
Grading Option: Letter Grade Only
Graduation Writing Requirement: Yes, With Instructor's Approval*
Flexible/Upper-Level Writing Requirement: Yes, With Instructor's Approval*
Skills Requirement: No
Simulation Course: No
Note: Only one of the above listed requirements can be fulfilled with this course.
Experiential Learning: No
Seminar: No
Special Withdrawal Course: No
Final Exam Given: No
Paper Or In-Class Presentation: Possibly, dependiing on the size of the class.
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.