Law & Politics

Law & Politics

Political Science 192:146	Scott Peters
Spring 2009	CBB 5F
01 T Th 2:00-3:15 Lang 20	319.273.2727
02 T Th 3:30-4:45 Lang 22	scott.peters@uni.edu

Office Hours: T Th 9:30-10:50, and by appointment.

This course will acquaint students with the institutions and actors of federal and state appellate courts in the U.S., especially the U.S. Supreme Court. During the first few weeks of the semester we will examine the nature of the American judicial system by studying the role of the courts within our constitutional system and the impact and implementation of their decisions. We will then investigate judicial decision-making, including the process by which appellate courts decide cases, and explore various theories that seek to explain judicial decisions.

Upon successful completion of the class, students shall demonstrate:

An understanding of various views of the role of the legal system within the U.S. political system.
Knowledge of the structure of and decision-making procedures of the federal judiciary, the and the roles played by the major actors in the system.
An ability to analyze and evaluate the influence of the legal, political and social factors upon judicial decisions.
An ability to analyze and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of courts in making and carrying out policy.

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