601:753. SEMINAR: JUDGING (2) (W)
Buchsbaum
Judges are the keystone of the legal system, yet we rarely focus on how they actually make decisions. In real life, how do judges balance precedent and legislative language to bring justice to litigants in both "big" cases and small ones? In this course a Judge of the Superior Court, assisted by speakers from in and outside the judiciary will explore such diverse subjects as what goes into drafting an opinion, how courts are affected by good (or bad) lawyers, and how law clerks help judges do their job. The course will examine writings of judges, justices and legal
philosophers describing the real life experience of judges and debating the role of a judge's personal or religious beliefs in numerous settings, from family court to the Supreme Court. The seminar will range into some surprising topics, such as do judges ever desire to be reversed, and some very practical ones, like docket management, the role of the appointment process and relations with lawyers. The culmination of the seminar will be students' preparation and presentation of research papers, with comments from our speakers and seminar participants.
Buchsbaum
Judges are the keystone of the legal system, yet we rarely focus on how they actually make decisions. In real life, how do judges balance precedent and legislative language to bring justice to litigants in both "big" cases and small ones? In this course a Judge of the Superior Court, assisted by speakers from in and outside the judiciary will explore such diverse subjects as what goes into drafting an opinion, how courts are affected by good (or bad) lawyers, and how law clerks help judges do their job. The course will examine writings of judges, justices and legal
philosophers describing the real life experience of judges and debating the role of a judge's personal or religious beliefs in numerous settings, from family court to the Supreme Court. The seminar will range into some surprising topics, such as do judges ever desire to be reversed, and some very practical ones, like docket management, the role of the appointment process and relations with lawyers. The culmination of the seminar will be students' preparation and presentation of research papers, with comments from our speakers and seminar participants.