COURSE DESCRIPTION 2012 2013

Advanced Legal Writing: Criminal Topics

Prof. Ann McGonigle Santos,

3 credits day; 3 credits evening. Students will develop their research and writing skills by researching and writing 2-3 shorter memoranda which are related to a single criminal case. The course will address substantive and procedural issues related to criminal matters, such as suppression of statements, admissibility of evidence, and other constitutional issues. Students will be able to choose whether they represent the Defendant or State in preparing their memoranda. In this course, students will develop their research and writing skills by writing 3-4 shorter memoranda which are related to a single criminal case. The course will address substantive and procedural issues relating to criminal matters, such as suppression of statements, admissibility of physical evidence, and other constitutional issues. Specifically, students will be responsible for reviewing transcripts, police reports, witness interviews and other miscellaneous reports to assist them in preparing their memoranda. STANDARDS FOR ADVANCED LEGAL WRITING COURSES The faculty has voted to encourage all students to take an advanced legal writing course during their upper-class years at the Law School. Advanced legal writing courses are courses that meet the standards set forth below. Ordinarily, an advanced legal writing course will satisfy the Upper Level Skills Requirement. See Law Suffolk University Law School website, www.law.suffolk.edu/academic/jd/skills/cfm. If so designated, it may also be used to meet the Upper Level Legal Writing Requirement. See Law School Academic Rules and Regulations 2H. 1. Advanced legal writing courses include a significant writing component. This will include at least three practice-oriented writing assignments--such as a legal memo or brief, writing exercises, a draft of a transactional document, or an opinion letter based on an analysis of appropriate legal materials such as cases and statutes. 2. The three writing assignments will total at least fifteen pages of written work or twenty pages if the course is designated as one that can be used to meet the Upper Level Legal Writing Requirement. The written work shall be completed independently by each student in the course. 3. Students will receive extensive written feedback, on each major writing assignment, covering the substance, analysis, and writing issues reflected in the student‘s work. 4. Students will receive the opportunity to re-write one of the assignments, which may increase their final grade for the entire assignment. 5. The professor will have an individual writing conference with each student on at least one of the three writing assignments. 6. The professor will discuss a sample memorandum for at least one of the assignments, after the student papers have been handed in. 7. The grades for the writing assignments shall constitute at least fifty percent of the course grade. 8. The syllabus for the course shall include the three practice--oriented writing assignments and the approximate due dates for each. 9. The faculty member is encouraged to discuss legal writing skills and techniques with the students throughout the course. 10. Courses that provide substantially equivalent practice oriented writing experiences may be certified by the Legal Writing Subcommittee of the Curriculum Committee as Advanced Legal Writing Courses.

Enrollment is limited: 15

Elective Course

Meets Civil Litigation Concentration Requirements

May Fulfill Legal Writing Requirement