Criminal Law Clinic (5 credits)
Peter L. Davis, Associate Professor of Law
Students in the Criminal Law Clinic work approximately twelve (12) to fifteen (15) hours per week at a District Attorney's or Public Defender's Office in the New York City metropolitan area, under the supervision of the clinic's director and an attorney at the placement.
While observing the workings of the criminal justice system first-hand, students participate in all phases of criminal prosecution or defense. They attend arraignments; assist with bail motions and hearings; interview clients and witnesses; examine evidence, including crime scenes; conduct legal research and draft briefs and other legal documents; and attend pre-trial proceedings, trials, and sentencing hearings.
Discussions in the weekly three-hour seminar are based upon readings, simulations, and students' experiences at their placements, with particular scrutiny of the political, social, economic, and psychological factors that frequently determine the outcome of criminal prosecutions. Experiences in the criminal justice system offer compelling lessons in the ethical problems that are woven throughout criminal law practice. With insight gained from real-life experiences in the criminal courts, students grapple with these dilemmas as they learn practical skills and evaluate aspects of justice or the failure of justice in the criminal courts.
|
