May 12: Topics to be covered:
- Introduction to course and focus of course
- Requirements and assignments
- How a court case is decided
- How to study court cases
- Near v. Minnesota as a prototype "pivotal case"
Assignments:
- Fill out and submit Student Information Form
- Buy text by Anthony Lewis, Make No Law: The Sullivan
Case and the First Amendment (Vintage Books, 1991).
Read Chapters 1-10; be ready to discuss these Chapters
in class.
- Study notes and materials from May 12 for test on
May 13.
May 13: Test #1 (20% of final grade in course)
Topics to be covered:
- Conventional theories of judicial decision-making
- Background and facts of New York Times v. Sullivan
- The Alabama court decisions in New York Times v. Sullivan
- Seditious libel in the United States
Assignments:
- Read Chps. 10-17 in Lewis text and Appendix 2:
opinions in New York Times v. Sullivan
- Study notes and materials from May 13 for test on
May 14.
May 14: Test #2 (20% of final grade in course)
Topics to be covered:
- Arguments before the Supreme Court in New York Times
v. Sullivan
- The Supreme Court's decision in New York Times v.
Sullivan.
Assignments:
- Read Chps. 18-20 in Lewis text.
- Study notes and materials from May 14 for test on
May 15.
May 15: Test #3 (20% of final grade in course)
Topics to be Covered:
- Effects of the Supreme Court's decision in New York
Times v. Sullivan:
- effects on the law of libel
- effects on the law of sedition
- Review for final exam.
May 16: Final exam (40% of grade in course)
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