PLCY388F

"Fake news" and freedom of the press, money in electoral politics, voter photo ID laws and political gerrymandering, continued racial segregation in public schools, privacy on the street and in school, holding public officials accountable for egregious constitutional violations, and unequal justice for the poor are all thorny issues of public policy thathave found their way into American courts. This courseexamines these and other current issues presented to the courts ina format wherestudents evaluate and opine on the competing legal and policy arguments in class and in papers as if they were the empowered judicial authority.The course also provides a broad overview of the waysAmericancourts function as well as an opportunity to visit with a federal judge,hear the experiences of former jurors, and possibly visit a landlord-tenant courtin action.