Law Syllabus: Spring 2013

Law Syllabus: Spring 2013

Mrs. Gaven

Contact Information

Email:

Class Website:

January 28thth- June 14th

Law is an elective course that provides an understanding of our criminal and civil legal systems. The Amendments and the court system are emphasized in the criminal section. Tort law and contract law are featured in the civil system.

Classroom Expectations

• Be on Time:

 “On Time” means that when the bell rings you are SEATED in YOUR assigned seat ready to start learning. If you are not in your seat by the time the bell rings I will mark you late.

• Be Prepared for Class:

 You are expected to bring a pen or pencil and a 3-hole punch binder to EVERY CLASS..

• Be Punctual with Assignments:

 Homework:

• Any assignments must be submitted to me by the beginning of class on the assigned due date.
• You can email it to me or GoogleDoc it (), or put it in the Homework Basket on my desk.
• It is your responsibility to make sure I receive it.
• No Name = No Credit
• I grade and read every single answer and every single assignment so please make sure you put 100% into every assignment.
• I do accept late homework only the day after it was originally assigned with a 50% off penalty.

• Projects and essays are deducted one letter grade for each day that it is late. Therefore, if you hand in a B paper and it is 2 days late you will receive a D. I will always give you ample time to complete these projects therefore lateness is inexcusable.

 Makeup Assignments:

• Absent on the day of a test: You have up to ONE WEEK to make up the test. After that the test grade will become a zero.
• Absent on the day homework is due: You are expected to hand your homework in by the next day you are present to class for full credit.
• Absent on the day a project or essay is due: Projects and essays will be considered a day late regardless of whether you are absent or not unless you have a note from a doctor or parent. If you do not have a note it will still be a day late even if you are absent from school. If you do have a note it is due the next day you are present in school for full credit.
• Making up notes and class work: You are responsible for making up any materials you missed while absent. You need to copy the notes from a fellow classmate and come to me to catch up on any in class assignments that were completed during your absence.

• Be Respectful of the Class:

 Respect Me and Respect Your Classmates.

 I enjoy and encourage open discussion in our class. In order to maintain a fun and safe learning environment please follow the following rules for class discussion:

• Raise your hand when you have a point you would like to share.
• Do not talk while someone else is talking.

• Do not criticize someone else’s opinion. You may disagree with it but voice your disagreement in a manner that supports your own argument instead of putting your fellow classmates down.
• Disrespectful students will face a call home and/or points deducted from their class participation grade.

 Electronics

• The use of cell phones, IPods, laptops, and other electronic devices is not permitted in class unless you receive permission
• If I see them I will take it and hold it the rest of the day! If it happens a second time it will be taken and given to the office!

• Be Honest:

 Cheating and plagiarism will equal an automatic F on the assignment and can result in further disciplinary action according to the school handbook.

• Be Ready and Excited to Learn:

 Bathroom Use

• You may ONLY use the bathroom four times a month.
• Raise your hand and ask for my permission.
• You are to sign out on the “Bathroom Sign Out” Sheet on the door.
• If there is an emergency and you need to go beyond your two passes I will write you a pass to the nurse and expect her to sign off that this was in fact an emergency.

• Grading:

 Participation: 10 %

 Writing Prompts: 10 %

 Tests: 40%

 Essays/Projects: 40 %

This should be a fun two semesters and then for some of you, you are free! Be excited! If you ever need to contact me about any questions or problems email me; I check it often even on weekends.

Class Schedule: Spring Semester-2013

*** Due Dates are Subject to Change***

MLA Paper Format

Your Name

Mrs. Gaven

Sociology

Date (28 January 2013)

Title

Intro

Body (Bulk of Paper)

Conclusion

 All Papers should follow this format or you will have points deducted.

 ALWAYS ALWAYS 12 pt TIMES NEW ROMAN FONT!!!!

 Essay should include in-text citations and a Works Cited page

 If paper is late it is a letter grade lower for each day!

 If paper is not required length points will be deducted as well!

ESSAY RUBRIC: 10 points x 3=30 project based assessment points

• Answers all components of the essay question correctly.
• Supports answer with accurate information.
• Demonstrates complete understanding of the subject matter

• Answers some components of essay question.
• Supports most of the answer with accurate information.
• Leaves out some points.
• Demonstrates partial understanding of the subject matter.

• Answers some components of the essay question.
• Supports some of the answer with accurate information.
• Leaves out half of the information necessary.
• Demonstrates partial understanding of the subject matter.

• Answers few components of the essay question.
• Does not support answer with accurate information.
• Demonstrates little understanding of the subject matter.

• Attempts the essay and properly addresses one part of the questions.
• Does not support any part of the answer.
• Does not demonstrate understanding of the subject matter.

• Does not answer the essay or any components of the essay.

Mrs. Gaven

Law: Spring Semester 2013

Patriot Act: Good or Bad?

Due: February 12, 2013

Directions:

• Length: 1 and ½- page- 4 paragraph minimum

Must Include:

• Below are two famous quotations. What do they mean? Which, if any, do you agree with? Explain.

“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” – Benjamin Franklin (1760-1790)

“There is danger that, if the [Supreme Court] does not temper its doctrinaire logic with a little practical wisdom, it will convert the constitutional Bill of Rights into a suicide pact.” – Justice Robert H. Jackson (1949)

Mrs. Gaven

Law: Spring Semester 2013

Mercy Killing Essay

Due: March 8, 2013

Length: 1 ½ page-4 paragraph minimum

Directions:

Do you agree with laws that make it illegal for doctors to assist a person in committing suicide? Does a state have a right to protect its citizens from suicide by criminalizing physician assistance? Or do the terminally ill have a right to commit suicide that should not be infringed by the states? Why might this be treated as a state rather than a national issue?

Must Include:

Write at least a four-paragraph essay that includes the answers to the above Remember that a four-paragraph essay should include an intro-with thesis and two arguments-two argument paragraphs and conclusion

Mrs. Gaven

Law: Spring Semester 2013

Criminal Law Case Study Project

Due: March 15, 2013

Directions:

With a partner or by yourself you will choose a CRIMINAL LAW that interests you and create a presentation that includes a case study. This will be a project based assessment grade worth 30 points!

The assignment is composed of two parts:

1) PRESENTATION

2) CASE STUDY

PRESENATION

 Think of area of criminal law you find interesting (homicide, assault, etc.)

 Concept: Explain aspect of criminal law using PowerPoint, Prezi etc.

COMPONENTS

 Topic must be in big print somewhere on glog

 Must be a topic in law with multiple parts (ex: homicide-1st degree, 2nd degree, etc)

• For all degress :
• Define it (ex: 1st degree is…)
• Write 1 real life examples for each part
• Must include picture for each part

CASE STUDY –Find a case that exemplifies your crime in action!

 Case must be within the last 5 years

 Must have to do with your topic

 Must include the actual article/case info attached

 Follow attached paper to answer

CASE STUDY/ CURRENT EVENT PAPER-1 POINT PER QUESTION

PLEASE ANSWER IN DEPTH!

Date Of The Article

What Crime Was Committed?

Who Was The Victim?

Who Is The Suspect?

Where Was The Crime Committed?

Why Was The Crime Committed?

How Were The Police Led To The Suspect?

What Charges Does The Accused Face And What Type Of Punishment Could They Face?

Mrs. Gaven

Law: Spring Semester 2013

Crime Against Property

Partner Presentation

Due: March 19, 2013

Directions:

Step 1

 Two people cover the same topics in the textbook

 Come up with 4 bullets to summarize that text as an individual

 One bullet should be an example of the crime

Step 2

 Both people come together and put their 8 bullets together

 Come up with the best 3 bullets to summarize text out of the 8 total bullets

 Need one good example for class

Step 3

 Write 3 bullets, plus example, plus picture on a PowerPoint or Prezie slide and explain topic in detail to class, while using the 3 bullets as guiding points

 Class will write bullets down for each pair

 Each bullet will be presented by a different member of the group

Topics to cover: (done in partners)

Arson (p. 116)/Vandalism (p. 116)

Larceny (p. 116-117)/Embezzlement (p. 119)

Robbery (p. 119)

Extortion (p. 119)/Forgery (p. 121)

Burglary (p. 119)

Receiving Stolen Property (p. 121)/Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle (p. 121-122)

Computer Crime/Hacking (p.122-123)

Rubric: Project Based Assessment-30 points-based on following criteria

1. The presentation includes the required number of elements.
2. The presentation is well organized and cohesive.
3. The presenter is adequately prepared for the presentation.
4. The presentation indicates an understanding of the topic presented.
5. The presenter delivers ideas in a clear and concise fashion, without too much reliance on notes.
6. Each group member appears to have participated in the development of the presentation.

Mrs. Gaven

Law: Spring Semester 2013

Civil Law Current Event Presentation

Due: May 6, 2012

Total: 50 Performance Based Assessment Points

Directions:

You are to research an aspect of civil law and locate TWO articles on the topic of your choice. You might want to browse through some articles related to Civil law before selecting a specific topic. Articles should be from 2010 or later.

In Word or Google-Docs prepare a summary of each article be sure to include the following:

(40 Points)

 Article Title, Article Date, Author, and Source-5 points

 Summary of Article-5 points

• Without copying from the article describe what the article is about. You should use your own words. Please do not plagiarize.

 Reaction Paragraph-5 points

• This paragraph should tell us what you thought about the article. You may want to answer these questions in your reaction:
• Why did you choose this article?
• How did this article affect you?
• What would you do if you were in this situation?
• Why did you like or dislike the article?
• Who could benefit from reading this article?
• Do you think this article is an important topic for kids your age? Why or why not?

 Type of Law Paragraph-5 points

• What type of civil law does your article relate to? Explain how your article relates to this type of law. Include key vocabulary terms used in the article that we have discussed in class or relate to the course.

Presentation Component

You will be presenting one of your chosen cases to the class and they will have to identify the elements of the case-ie. Plaintiff/defendant. They will also have to decide which area this case pertains to. You must have one PowerPoint slide to correlate with this. The slide must contain a visual aid and summary of the case (10 points)

When finished print article and hand in hard copy or attach it and submit summary assignment electronically via

2 POINT QUESTIONS

2 POINT

The response indicates that the student has a complete understanding of the reading concept embodied in the task. The student has provided a response that is accurate, complete, and fulfills the requirement of the task. Necessary support and/or examples are included, and the information given is clearly text-based.

1 POINT

The response indicates that the student has a partial understanding of the reading concept embodied in the task. The student has provided a response that may include information that is essentially correct and text-based, but the information is too general or too simplistic. Some of the support and/or examples may be incomplete or omitted.

0 POINT

The response indicates that the student does not demonstrate an understanding of the reading concept embodied in the task. The student has provided a response that is inaccurate; the response has an insufficient amount of information to determine the student’s understanding of the task; or the student has failed to respond to the task.

5 POINT QUESTIONS

5 POINT

The response indicates that the student has a thorough understanding of the reading concept embodied in the task. The student has provided a response that is accurate, complete, and fulfills all the requirements of the task. Necessary support and/or examples are included, and the information given is clearly text-based.

4 POINT

The response indicates that the student has an understanding of the reading concept embodied in the task. The student has provided a response that is accurate and fulfills all the requirements of the task, but the required support and/or details are not complete or clearly text-based.

3 POINT

The response indicates that the student has a partial understanding of the reading concept embodied in the task. The student has provided a response that may include information that is essentially correct and text-based, but the information is too general or too simplistic. Some of the support and/or examples and requirements of the task may be incomplete or omitted.

2 POINT

The response indicates that the student has very limited understanding of the reading concept embodied in the task. The response is incomplete, may exhibit many flaws, and may not address all requirements of the task.

1-0 POINTS

The response indicates that the student does not demonstrate an understanding of the reading concept embodied in the task. The student has provided a response that is inaccurate; the response has an insufficient amount of information to determine the student’s understanding of the task; or the student has failed to respond to the task.

PRESENTATION

1. The presentation includes the summary of the current event and a visual aid
2. The presentation indicates an understanding of the topic presented.

Mrs. Gaven

Law: Spring Semester 2013

Family Law Essay

Due: June 4, 2012

Length: 1 ½ page-4 paragraph minimum

Directions:

In writing this essay you will take a position on one of the theses listed below:

 Polygamy should be permitted.

 Grandparents should have access or custody rights.

 Step-parents should be liable for child support payments.

 Common-law spouses should have all the same rights as those who are married.

 Single parents should be allowed to adopt.

 Gay couples should be allowed to adopt.

 Spousal support payments should never exist.

 Men, who do not wish to have a child, and impregnate a woman accidentally, should be able to opt-out of paying child support.

 Inheritance income should be taxed.

 Adulterous spouses should lose their claim to marital property and spousal support.

 Sixteen year olds should have the right to marry without parental consent.

ALL YOU HAVE LEFT IS YOUR FINAL AND YOU ARE DONE!!!!!