330 Federal Criminal Law
This course examines the role of the federal government in the criminal justice system, focusing on significant federal offenses criminalizing fraud, public corruption, drugs, money laundering, racketeering, firearms, and terrorism. We will also consider prosecutorial discretion, plea bargaining, and sentencing in the federal system. The objective of this course is to master doctrine and to learn how to debate federal criminal law's merits and proper limits. Public policy, theory, critical thinking, writing, and oral advocacy will be emphasized.
Federal criminal law is recommended either for second- or third-year students. It is especially helpful for students who will have a federal judicial clerkship, and those who anticipate a career in litigation. There are no prerequisites.
Each student will participate in two mock appellate cases, once as a judge and once as an advocate. The course grade will be based on class participation, the mock cases, and a take-home examination, allocated as follows:
Points/Approximate percentage of final grade
- 25 argument #1 28%
- 25 argument #2 28%
- 30 take-home exam 33.3%
- 10 class participation 11%
The maximum for each argument is 25 points, allocated as follows:
Advocates:
- 15 points: written summary of argument
- 10 points: for the oral presentation (substance and style)
Judges:
- 5 points: written questions
- 10 points: written preliminary disposition
- 5 points: writing (questions and summary disposition)
- 5 points: oral questions & final explanation of the decision at the close of the arguments
Course Areas of Practice | |
Evaluation Methods |
|
Degree Requirements | |
Course Type |
|
Learning Outcomes |
|
Sample Syllabi |
Spring 2022
Course Number | Course Credits | Evaluation Method | Instructor | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
330.01 | 4 |
|
Sara Sun Beale | ||
This course examines the role of the federal government in the criminal justice system, focusing on significant federal offenses criminalizing fraud, public corruption, drugs, money laundering, racketeering, firearms, and terrorism. We will also consider prosecutorial discretion, plea bargaining, and sentencing in the federal system. The objective of this course is to master doctrine and to learn how to debate federal criminal law's merits and proper limits. Public policy, theory, critical thinking, writing, and oral advocacy will be emphasized. Federal criminal law is recommended either for second- or third-year students. It is especially helpful for students who will have a federal judicial clerkship, and those who anticipate a career in litigation. There are no prerequisites. Each student will participate in two mock appellate cases, once as a judge and once as an advocate. The course grade will be based on class participation, the mock cases, and a take-home examination, allocated as follows: Points/Approximate percentage of final grade
The maximum for each argument is 25 points, allocated as follows: Advocates:
Judges:
Pre/Co-requisitesNone |
Spring 2021
Course Number | Course Credits | Evaluation Method | Instructor | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
330.01 | 4 |
|
Sara Sun Beale | ||
This course examines the role of the federal government in the criminal justice system, focusing on significant federal offenses criminalizing fraud, public corruption, drugs, money laundering, racketeering, firearms, and terrorism. We will also consider prosecutorial discretion, plea bargaining, and sentencing in the federal system. The objective of this course is to master doctrine and to learn how to debate federal criminal law's merits and proper limits. Public policy, theory, critical thinking, writing, and oral advocacy will be emphasized. Federal criminal law is recommended either for second- or third-year students. It is especially helpful for students who will have a federal judicial clerkship, and those who anticipate a career in litigation. There are no prerequisites. Each student will participate in two mock appellate cases, once as a judge and once as an advocate. The course grade will be based on class participation, the mock cases, and a take-home examination, allocated as follows: Points/Approximate percentage of final grade
The maximum for each argument is 25 points, allocated as follows: Advocates:
Judges:
Pre/Co-requisitesNone |
Spring 2020
Course Number | Course Credits | Evaluation Method | Instructor | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
330.01 | 4 |
|
Sara Sun Beale | ||
This course examines the role of the federal government in the criminal justice system, focusing on significant federal offenses criminalizing fraud, public corruption, drugs, money laundering, racketeering, firearms, and terrorism. We will also consider prosecutorial discretion, plea bargaining, and sentencing in the federal system. The objective of this course is to master doctrine and to learn how to debate federal criminal law's merits and proper limits. Public policy, theory, critical thinking, and oral advocacy will be emphasized. The grade will be based on mock arguments and a take-home examination. Federal criminal law is recommended either for second- or third-year students. It is especially helpful for students who will have a federal judicial clerkship, and those who anticipate a career in litigation. There are no prerequisites.
Syllabus: 330.01.Spring2020-syllabus.pdf46.1 KB Pre/Co-requisitesNone |
Fall 2018
Course Number | Course Credits | Evaluation Method | Instructor | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
330.01 | 4 |
|
Sara Sun Beale | ||
This course examines the role of the federal government in the criminal justice system, focusing on significant federal offenses criminalizing fraud, public corruption, drugs, money laundering, racketeering, firearms, and terrorism. We will also consider prosecutorial discretion, plea bargaining, and sentencing in the federal system. The objective of this course is to master doctrine and to learn how to debate federal criminal law's merits and proper limits. Public policy, theory, critical thinking, and oral advocacy will be emphasized. The grade will be based on mock arguments and a take-home examination. Federal criminal law is recommended either for second- or third-year students. It is especially helpful for students who will have a federal judicial clerkship, and those who anticipate a career in litigation. There are no prerequisites.
Pre/Co-requisitesNone |
Spring 2018
Course Number | Course Credits | Evaluation Method | Instructor | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
330.01 | 4 |
|
Sara Sun Beale | ||
This course examines the role of the federal government in the criminal justice system, focusing on significant federal offenses criminalizing fraud, public corruption, drugs, money laundering, racketeering, and terrorism. We will also consider prosecutorial discretion, plea bargaining, and sentencing in the federal system. The objective of this course is to master doctrine and to learn how to debate federal criminal law's merits and proper limits. Public policy, theory, critical thinking, and oral advocacy will be emphasized. The grade will be based on mock arguments and a paper. Federal criminal law is recommended either for second- or third-year students. It is especially helpful for students who will have a federal judicial clerkship, and those who anticipate a career in litigation. There are no prerequisites Pre/Co-requisitesNone |
Spring 2017
Course Number | Course Credits | Evaluation Method | Instructor | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
330.01 | 4 |
|
Sara Sun Beale | ||
This course examines the role of the federal government in the criminal justice system, focusing on significant federal offenses criminalizing fraud, public corruption, drugs, money laundering, racketeering, and terrorism. We will also consider prosecutorial discretion, plea bargaining, and sentencing in the federal system. The objective of this course is to master doctrine and to learn how to debate federal criminal law's merits and proper limits. Public policy, theory, critical thinking, and oral advocacy will be emphasized. The grade will be based on mock arguments and a paper. Federal criminal law is recommended either for second- or third-year students. It is especially helpful for students who will have a federal judicial clerkship, and those who anticipate a career in litigation. There are no prerequisites Pre/Co-requisitesNone |