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2015-2016 School of Law Academic Catalog [Archived Catalog]
Course Descriptions
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Courses marked with an asterisk (*) have not been offered in the last three years. We have kept them in the catalog after a faculty review because we have plans to offer them in the next two years. |
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LAW 688 - International Finance Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This course will cover issues related to international finance, transactions, policy, and regulations. The course will cover the international economic and financial environment in which firms operate, the elements of international financial transactions, the evolution of international financial markets, the costs and benefits of globalization and the structure and instruments of foreign exchange and Eurocurrency markets. The continuing expansion of U.S. capital market regulation is a major topic, as is the implementation of international accounting standards. While the approach of this course is rooted in government policy and regulation, it introduces students to basic financial concepts and transactions. The course evaluates regulatory and legislative reforms that followed in the wake of the international financial crisis of 2008-09.
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LAW 690 - Election Law Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This course explores constitutional, federal and state statutory and political aspects of the American electoral system, specifically examining the history of the voting rights struggle, campaign finance restrictions and election reform. The bulk of the course considers the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which some legal scholars have termed one of the most far-reaching pieces of civil rights legislation ever passed, the Help America Vote Act of 2002, the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, the Federal Election Campaign Act and various related state laws.
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LAW 691 - Native American Law Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This course examines the systems of law that apply on Native American reservations and tribal lands and how laws are formulated, enforced, and adjudicated on these lands, with emphasis on the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
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LAW 692 - Federal Pre-Trial Practice (Civil) Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This course primarily addresses civil-pretrial practice in federal court. General subject areas include the most common application of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Local Rules for the Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi. Instruction will take the student from the initial phases of a case through the jury selection process. Classes will be a mix of lectures and hands-on practice, including participation in case management conferences, pretrial conferences, and voir dire.
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LAW 701 - International Human Rights Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This is an introductory survey course on international human rights law and theory. The course will begin by analyzing the concept of human rights and its philosophical underpinnings. It will then look at the historical antecedents and current sources of international human rights law. The course will also consider global, regional, and national organizations and mechanisms for the protection of human rights.
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LAW 702 - Estate and Gift Taxation Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
A study of federal taxation of inter vivos transfers, revocable and incomplete transfers, exclusions, exemptions, and correlations with income and estate taxation; also federal estate taxation of property owned at death, jointly held property, gifts in contemplation of death, revocable transfers, retained life estates, transfers taking effect at death, survivorship annuities, life insurance, and powers of appointment; federal estate tax credits, deductions, exemptions, valuation problems; and procedure and correlation of estate tax with federal income and gift taxes. Wills and Estates (LAW 618 ) is a recommended antecedent course.
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LAW 705 - International Law Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This course introduces students to fundamental principles of international law, as well as other selected topics traditionally identified as part of public international law. The topics to be covered include the traditional theories, concepts, and sources of international law; the role of international law in the United States; international dispute resolution; statehood and international and regional entities, including the United Nations; principles of jurisdiction; the act of state doctrine and foreign sovereign immunity; and international human rights.
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LAW 706 - International Business Transactions Credits, 2-3 sem. hrs.
This course introduces students to fundamental international business law principles and concepts. The course will provide a general overview of how international business contracts are formed and performed. International trade organizations and agreements will also be covered, such as the World Trade Organization, regional trade agreements (e.g., NAFTA), and international trade conventions. Domestic laws (primarily U.S.) governing international business transactions also will be discussed, including those involving trade embargoes, import and export controls, anti-bribery laws, and foreign investment controls.
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LAW 707 - Civil Law Obligations Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This course deals with the general principles of civil law applicable to contracts including their classification, formation, effects, extinction, and remedies for nonperformance. The course includes comparisons to common law contracts.
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LAW 708 - Civil Law of Persons and Family Credits, 3 sem. hrs
This course covers the Louisiana law of persons and family, including domicile, marriage, separation, divorce, filiation, parental authority and obligations, custody, tutorship, emancipation, interdiction, and other familial rights and obligations.
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LAW 709 - Civil Law of Successions and Donations Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This course treats the civilian approach to the transfer of property by inheritance or by testament and the transfer of property by gifts during life.
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LAW 710 - Securities Regulation Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
Prerequisite(s): Business Associations I (LAW 619 ).
A study of laws relating to creation, issuance, ownership and transfer of securities, including problems of the issuer, investor and control agencies and institutions; securities markets and exchanges; duties and liabilities of dealers, brokers, underwriters and sellers; control persons; the Securities and Exchange Commission and its functions; and so-called “blue-sky” laws.
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LAW 711 - Civil Law Property Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This course covers fundamental concepts of civil law property. Topics include things, ownership, usufruct, servitudes, boundaries, occupancy, possession and prescription. The course includes comparisons to common law property.
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LAW 712 - Admiralty Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
A study of the basic law of the sea, with primary emphasis on the pertinent federal rules, principles and statutes, including vessel liens, mortgages, shipping documents, insurance, salvage, collision liability, seaman’s rights in injury or death, maritime jurisdiction, constitutional considerations, and special international maritime transactions.
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LAW 713 - Louisiana Security Devices Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This course covers the provisions of the Louisiana Civil Code and statutes relating to suretyship, pledge, creditors’ privileges, mortgages, chattel mortgages, deposit and sequestration.
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LAW 714 - Business Planning Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
Prerequisite(s): Business Associations I (LAW 619 ) and Federal Taxation Law (LAW 638 ).
A study of the organization and conduct of business in partnership and corporate forms, with an emphasis on tax ramifications. Students are called upon to analyze situations and assess alternative methods. Includes organization of new businesses, the purchase and sale of a business, accumulated earnings tax, and personal holding company tax.
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LAW 715 - Legislation Credits, 2-3 sem. hrs.
A study of the legislative process, the interrelationships of the separate branches of government, lobbying, judge-made law, statutory construction, use and analysis of legislative materials and resources, legislative drafting techniques and procedures, including a skills component.
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LAW 716 - Children in the Legal System Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This course examines the status of children in society and under the law primarily by examining the relationship between children, their parents and the state. Issues such as corporal punishment in schools, free speech, compulsory school attendance, minors’ abortions, traditional juvenile justice materials, child custody and dependency, neglect and abuse are addressed.
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LAW 717 - Louisiana Civil Procedure Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This course is a survey of Louisiana civil procedure. The course examines the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure and covers jurisdiction, venue, judicial power and authority, court officers, actions, parties, pleadings, citation and service of process, discovery, trial judgments, post-trial modification of judgments, appellate procedure, execution of judgments, summary and executory proceedings, probate procedure, and special proceedings.
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LAW 718 - Civil Law Matrimonial Regimes Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This course examines the law governing ownership and management of property of married persons in Louisiana. The course includes the examination of the rights and obligations between spouses under legal and contractual matrimonial regimes provided in Louisiana law; the creation, modification, and dissolution of matrimonial regimes; classification of property as community or separate; and the rights of third persons with respect to property of married persons. Comparisons to the laws of other jurisdictions will be considered as well.
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LAW 719 - International Commercial Arbitration Seminar Credits, 2-3 sem. hrs
This course will examine the basics of the law of international commercial arbitration. Specifically, the advantages and disadvantages of arbitration as a means of international dispute resolution will be discussed, including issues related to the proper drafting of arbitration agreements, questions of arbitrability, as well as the rendering, recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards under international conventions and the laws of the United States. Special attention will be given to the rules and practice of the leading international arbitration institutions, such as the International Court of Arbitration of the ICC, the London Court of International Arbitration, the American Arbitration Association, the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, and the ICSID, as well as the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules and the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration. There will be classroom discussions and simulations on various issues arising in international commercial arbitration. The required paper will satisfy the writing requirement.
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LAW 720 - Antitrust Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
The law and economics of cartels and exclusionary business practices. The course focuses on sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act and sections 3 and 7 of the Clayton Act. The practices considered include price-fixing, territorial allocation schemes, mergers, monopolization, boycotts, tying arrangements, and vertical integration. Students are expected to master some elementary methods of economic analysis, but no background in economics is required.
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LAW 721 - Introduction to Intellectual Property Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This survey course examines the protection of proprietary rights in inventions, literary works and other forms of creative expression, software, trade secrets, trade designations, and other intangible intellectual products. Students in this course will analyze federal patent, copyright, trademark and unfair competition law, and state trade secrecy and unfair competition laws. This course will also evaluate the challenges posed for traditional intellectual property paradigms by new technologies and the shift to an information-based economy. Students with a general interest in intellectual property as well as students with a specialized interest in patent, copyright, and trademark laws may take this course.
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LAW 722 - Copyright Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
An in-depth study of the federal law of intellectual property relating to Copyright. The doctrine of federal preemption of state law and relevant international protocol are also covered.
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LAW 723 - Trademarks and Unfair Competition Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
A study of the law of trademarks, unfair competition, trade secrets, the right of publicity, protection of ideas and related business torts. Emphasis is given to study of the Lanham Act and related state statutory and common law doctrines governing this area of intellectual property.
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LAW 724 - Patent Law Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This course covers core concepts of patent law under U.S. patent laws and international conventions for the protection of patents. This course will introduce students to the law and policies surrounding the protection of inventions in the useful arts as well as trade secrets and idea protection through contracts and confidentiality agreements. Students will consider the importance of patents in competitive market economies, industrial use of cross-licenses and patent pools, use of restrictive licenses and government patent buy-outs. Students will study legal principles of novelty, nonobviousness, utility, infringement and remedies under patent law and policy analysis of the patent system in general. There are no prerequisites for this course, and no technical background is required.
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LAW 725 - Advanced Copyright Law Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This course evaluates the copyright system as a legal institution to promo the scientific and artistic progress within society, and considers whether copyright laws passed by Congress and interpreted by the courts achieves this fundamental Constitutional goal. This course will study the historical background to the copyright system, its economic foundations, and the social, cultural and industrial impacts of the copyright system as it aims to facilitate the development of knowledge and information in society. Students will be encouraged to critically examine the copyright system as a legally constructed tool to address ideas of authorship, creativity, private property rights, the public domain, and the protection of literary and artistic works. The course will also look at the effect technological changes have had, and will have, on the law, copyright markets, and the creative content industries. Course requirements are a written paper and class room presentation at the end of the semester. There are no prerequisites to have taken copyright law for this course. The required paper will satisfy the writing requirement.
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LAW 726 - Criminal Law - International and Comparative Perspectives Credits, 2-3 sem. hrs.
This course will introduce students to the fields of International Criminal Law and Comparative Criminal Law. Additionally, it will look for commonalities of jurisprudence among international and domestic systems of criminal law. Grades will be based upon a single comprehensive final exam.
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LAW 727 - Complex Litigation * Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This course deals with the nature of complex litigation, joinder and structure of lawsuits in federal fora, duplicative and related litigation, class actions, special problems of discovery in complex litigation, judicial control of litigation, alternatives to litigation, res judicata and collateral estoppel. Evidence (LAW 623 ) is recommended as an antecedent course.
This course has not been offered in the last three years. We have kept it in the catalog after a faculty review because we have plans to offer it in the next two years.
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LAW 728 - Civil Rights Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
An examination of civil rights legislation including Reconstruction era acts, and more recent legislation prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, sex, or physical or mental handicap in public accommodations, housing, education, and programs receiving federal financial assistance. The course focuses on litigation to enforce civil rights, and considers remedies, defenses, immunities, damages and rights to attorney fees.
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LAW 730 - Jurisprudence * Credits, 2-3 sem. hrs.
This course addresses issues concerning to the nature of law and its foundations. Is law based on morality or economic efficiency? Is law just a form of politics relating to class, race, or gender? Students will be introduced to the answers to these questions posed by the major schools of jurisprudence including natural law theory, legal positivism, legal realism, law and economics, critical legal studies, feminist legal theory, critical race theory, and postmodern legal theory.
This course has not been offered in the last three years. We have kept it in the catalog after a faculty review because we have plans to offer it in the next two years.
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LAW 731 - Constitutional Law Seminar Credits, 2-3 sem. hrs.
An in-depth treatment of contemporary constitutional issues relevant to a modern society.
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LAW 732 - Law and Literature Credits, 2-3 sem. hrs.
Analysis of selected literary works to examine such issues as the nature and existence of justice, in the abstract, and the pursuit of justice by lawyers in regard to contemporary societal problems.
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LAW 733 - Seminar in American Legal History Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This seminar will explore the ways in which the law has influenced the course of American history and the impact of historical events and trends on legal development in the United States. Students will be introduced to a variety of methodological approaches employed by legal historians and will think critically about how law shapes and is shaped by changing social reality. Topics will include the close relationship between law and society in the Salem Witch Trials, the origins of judicial review, the law of slavery, the legal aspects of the American Civil War, changing conceptions of marriage in the United States, the rise of legal realism and the demise of legal formalism, expansion of federal government power during the New Deal, the rights revolution in the twentieth century, and the legal battle against segregation. Class meetings will consist primarily of discussion of reading assignments, which will be drawn from both primary and secondary sources. Students will write several reaction papers based on the readings for the class.
[Crosslisted with: HIS 6613.]
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LAW 734 - Government Contracting Credits, 1-2 sem. hrs.
This survey course will cover the powers and limitations on government instrumentalities entering into contracts. The course will examine the statutory basis of the government contracting process at the Federal and State levels, including regulations, executive orders and sovereign immunity. Students will gain a basic understanding of public procurement methods, including the stages of requirements determination, solicitation, contract awarding, contract administration, dispute resolution and claims. In addition, the course will introduce students to concepts unique to government contracting, such as the right of termination for the convenience of the government. There will be classroom discussions on how to advise government contracting officers in awarding contracts and on how to advise private sector businesses seeking government contracts.
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LAW 735 - Civil Law Sales and Leases Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This course examines provisions of the Louisiana Civil Code and statutes dealing with sales, leases and related contracts.
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LAW 736 - Louisiana Mineral Law Credits, 2-3 sem. hrs.
This course involves the study of mineral law in Louisiana, including such topics as ownership of mineral rights, sales and reservations of mineral rights, mineral servitudes and leases, and unitization. Topics may also include other contracts pertaining to exploration, development, and production of minerals, and conservation laws and regulations governing minerals. Particular emphasis will be given to the Louisiana Mineral Code.
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LAW 737 - Mental Health Law Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This course will focus on the impact of the legal system on persons with mental health disabilities. Civil proceedings, such as guardianships, commitments and treatment rights will be covered. Civil law areas covered will include mental illness, substance abuse, confidentiality, consent, substitute decision making and the rights of parents and of children in juvenile proceedings, custody determinations and divorces. While the primary focus will be civil law, criminal law topics will include capacity, right to refuse treatment, and insanity as a defense. The role of mental health professionals and mental health courts will be a prominent issue in the course.
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LAW 738 - International and Comparative Competition Law Credits, 2-3 sem. hrs.
This course analyses compares competition/antitrust law regimes in the USA and the European Union. The course will include analysis of legal and economic concepts of competition and a comparative examination of specific issues and selected significant areas of competition/antitrust law. Areas of study may include prohibiting agreements or practices that restrict free trading and competition between businesses, banning abusive behavior by a firm dominating a market, or anti-competitive practices that tend to lead to such a dominant position and supervising the mergers and acquisitions of large corporations.
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LAW 739 - International and Comparative Contracts and Sales Law Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This course examines both the civil law approach to contracts in comparison to American contracts law, with a focus on sales law, and the laws governing international sales. Topics will include an introduction to sales in civil law jurisdictions, the United Nations Sales Convention (CSIG), UNIDROIT “Principles,” choice of law applicable to international sales contracts, the formation of international sales contracts, performance of international sales contracts, and remedies (non-judicial and judicial).
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LAW 741 - Litigation Technology Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
Prerequisite(s):
This course is designed to integrate technology into trial presentations. Students will learn how to apply principles of persuasion to the creation of courtroom visuals. The course will cover the preparation and effective use of electronic illustrative aids and demonstrative exhibits in trial.
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LAW 742 - Electronically Stored Information (ESI) and E-Discovery Credits, 1-2 sem. hrs.
This course will focus on discovery of electronic information that is generated and stored in complex systems. Requests for, and disputes arising from, the preservation and production of electronic information have become common in the Federal civil justice system and in the Federal criminal justice system as well as in State courts. The course will introduce the student to how Federal and State courts address discovery of electronic information. The course will also examine issues arising from the confidentiality of electronic information, the ethical duties of attorneys with regard to that information, and the presentation of evidence in electronic format. The material will be tested with a final examination.
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LAW 747 - Professional Responsibility and Ethics Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
A problem/case approach to studying the ethical decisions facing the practicing attorney, with an emphasis on the goals, structure and responsibilities of the legal profession and its members, the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct and the Code of Judicial Conduct. Incorporated in the course is participation by the bench and bar.
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LAW 748 - Agricultural Law Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This course will provide an introduction to the particular legal issues related to agriculture in today’s society. Topics will include: regulation by the USDA, labor law as it relates to farms, tort liability of farmers, agricultural co-ops, land partition, Articles 2 and 9 of the UCC as they relate to agriculture, international trade regulation, food safety, biotechnology related to agriculture, and water and land resource issues.
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LAW 749 - Conflict of Laws Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
A comprehensive study of the conflicts or dissimilarities between the laws of the various jurisdictions (state, federal and foreign), and especially the situations in which the courts must make a choice between competing rules, as well as the old and modern theories which compel these choices. The course also includes a study of relevant aspects of jurisdiction; presumptions as to applicable law; public policy; domicile and residence; divorces and other domestic legal adjustments; crimes, penal and tax laws; torts; contracts; adoption; real property; wills and decedent’s estates; transfers of personality and realty; foreign decrees or judgments; negotiable instruments and stock certificates; and estates by legacy or descent.
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LAW 750 - Media Law Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This course will focus on the media’s ability to gain access to information from meetings of public bodies (aka “Sunshine Laws”), the defamation standards that apply to media publishing, the extent to which members of the media are able to keep their sources confidential (aka “reporters privilege”), privacy rights of people involved in media reporting, requirements and procedures that must be followed to close a court proceeding and/or court records, and the rules involving the modern phenomena of allowing the public to comment anonymously by electronic means on media stories.
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LAW 751 - Church and State in the Modern World Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This course is designed to be an intensive, short-form class that focuses on modern, cutting edge issues of religious liberty in the United States and abroad. Its principal focus is on the Free Exercise and Establishment Clauses of the First Amendment, focusing on recent disputes in a number of areas: the regulation of religious practice, the funding of religious institutions, government endorsement of religious messages, and the appropriateness of religion in politics. The class also covers some cases and controversies from abroad, particularly in how they compare with issues in the United States.
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LAW 752 - Consumer Bankruptcy Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This course will concentrate on Chapters 7 and 13 of the Bankruptcy Code, and focus on the unique issues which arise when an individual with primarily consumer debts files for bankruptcy, including consideration of such topics as the conflicting principles of fresh start vs. maximum return to creditors; good faith and substantial abuse; the automatic stay; property of the estate; exemptions and the discharge of debts; Chapter 13 plans; serial Chapter 13 filings, and conversion of cases from one chapter of the Bankruptcy Code to another. Grades are based upon a final examination.
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LAW 753 - Bankruptcy Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
Corequisite(s): Secured Transactions and Creditors’ Rights (LAW 621) .
This course will provide a comprehensive survey of basic bankruptcy law. The course will focus primarily on consumer bankruptcy and introduce business bankruptcy. The course will touch on the economic, political, and ethical issues underlying bankruptcy’s competing goals: providing overextended consumer and business debtors with a fresh start and satisfying creditors’ claims in an orderly, fair way.
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LAW 754 - Consumer Law Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This course will consider a number of statutory and common law regulations and remedies providing for the protection of consumers, with emphasis on topics not otherwise covered in the law school curriculum. Coverage may include fraud and deceptive sales practices, remedies, fair access to credit, truth in lending, usury, debt collection, and credit reporting regulation.
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LAW 755 - Administrative Law Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
A study of the basic principles of administrative law, including primary jurisdiction, exhaustion, ripeness, scope of review, and the decision-making process.
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LAW 756 - Law & Morality Seminar Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
The course begins with a survey of the principal competing Western moral theories and debates concerning the nature and source of moral rights and duties. Students will then be introduced to different problems concerning intersections of law and morality: Is an unjust “law” really a law? Should all moral wrongs be illegal? Should the law impose a duty to save or help others in emergencies? How should morality inform the law concerning issues of life (e.g., abortion) and death (e.g., euthanasia)? Should judges decide cases based on their moral convictions? What are the moral aims and limits of criminal punishment? Do we have a moral obligation to obey the law? When are civil disobedience and conscientious objection justified? The required paper will satisfy the writing requirement.
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LAW 757 - Juvenile Legal Issues Seminar Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This seminar examines issues that affect minors – from the very young to older teenagers. In a participatory seminar format, it includes the adoption process to include adoptions from overseas locations; the termination of parental rights and the basis for such court action both in youth court and in chancery court; issues involving children while in a school setting to include truancy; the resolution of criminal issues involving children to include the use of youth court, drug court and teen court; and issues surrounding child custody and child support of children. The required paper in this course satisfies the writing requirement.
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LAW 758 - Local Government Law Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This course examines the legal and political relationships that govern the provision of goods and services by local governments. The specific topics covered include the sources of local government power, incorporation and annexation, home rule, racial and economic implications of local policy, state pre-emption of local ordinances, conflicts between cities and suburbs, property taxation, user fees, municipal finance, and citizen participation in government.
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LAW 760 - Counseling and Negotiation Seminar Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
Introduction to principles and techniques in the areas of negotiation, interviewing and client counseling with emphasis on application of these interactive skills to problems confronting lawyers in their daily practice.
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LAW 762 - Seminar Credits, 2-3 sem. hrs.
Small classes designed to focus on a specific area of the law selected by the professor. A paper is required in lieu of an examination. The seminar is the primary method of satisfying the writing requirement . Specific seminar offerings will be designated in the registration materials each semester.
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LAW 763 - Gender and the Law Seminar Credits, 2-3 sem. hrs.
This seminar includes both a historic review of the role of women as determined by the law and a modern survey of changing roles of women as citizens, employees, litigants, lawyers, judges, wives, and mothers. Readings are assigned in the writings of legal scholars, in cases, and in statutes to demonstrate how the law views women in the workplace, women and the family, women and their bodies, women and education, and women and political power. The paper in this course satisfies the writing requirement.
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LAW 764 - Law and Religion Seminar Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This seminar will introduce students to the central issues and theorists in the current debate regarding the relationship between law and religion in a pluralistic democratic society. In particular, the course will concentrate on a question that has received less attention in this debate: What, if any, is the role of religious beliefs in judicial decision making? In addition to analyzing these issues from the perspective of the religion clauses of First Amendment of the United States Constitution, these issues will be engaged more broadly from the perspectives of jurisprudence (philosophy of law), historical analysis, social theory, and political theory. These various perspectives will provide an opportunity to analyze the relationship between law and religion from a broad standpoint and will provide a framework for unpacking the presuppositions about law and religion that different theorists bring to this debate. The paper in this course satisfies the writing requirement.
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LAW 765 - Legal Theory Seminar * Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This seminar explores classical and contemporary issues in legal theory. What makes a law legitimate? Is law based on morality or is it a matter of social convention or politics? Should judges rely on the law or extra-legal norms for deciding hard cases? Readings will vary from year to year. Some years the emphasis will be on earlier theorists such as Plato, Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, Kant, Bentham, Llewellyn, etc. Other years will focus on contemporary theorists such as Ronald Dworkin, Richard Posner, Joseph Raz, Catharine MacKinnon, Robin West, Roberto Unger, and John Finnis. The paper in this course satisfies the writing requirement.
This course has not been offered in the last three years. We have kept it in the catalog after a faculty review because we have plans to offer it in the next two years.
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LAW 767 - Race and the Law Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This seminar includes both a historic study of race and the law and a consideration of contemporary topics in the area. The study and discussion of these topics are facilitated by using both traditional legal resources and non-traditional resources, such as slave narratives, excerpts from writings during the Reconstruction era, and readings from the civil rights era. Students prepare a paper in this course and present their work to the class. The paper in this course satisfies the writing requirement.
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LAW 768 - Seminar on Issues of Criminal Law and Procedure Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
Students may pick their own topic relating to criminal law or procedure. They may also choose to participate in the Mississippi Criminal Law Reform project, in which case, they will be assigned a research project that will be used by the Judicial Advisory Committee to recommend changes in the penal code. All students will be required to produce at least a 20 page paper that will satisfy the writing requirement and present two oral reports on the subject of the paper.
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LAW 770 - Legal Extern Program Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
Prerequisite(s): Students must complete 45 semester hours in order to enroll in Legal Extern Program 770.
A small, selective program providing for a closely supervised externship with a judicial office, a not-for- profit organization, or a government agency. The program focuses on practical experience, is under the supervision of a faculty member, and includes a substantive classroom component.
This course is offered on a Pass/Fail basis.
(Note: This course counts for two non-classroom credit hours.)
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LAW 771 - Legal Extern Program II Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
See Legal Extern Program LAW 770 for description. Legal Extern Program II is the designated course for those students who take a second local externship for credit.
This course is offered on a Pass/Fail basis.
(Note: This course counts for two non-classroom credit hours.)
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LAW 772 - Remote Legal Extern Program I Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
Prerequisite(s): Students must complete 45 semester hours in order to enroll in Legal Extern Program 772.
A small, selective program providing for a closely supervised externship with a judicial office, a not-for-profit office, or a government agency located outside the Jackson, Mississippi, metropolitan area. The program focuses on practical experience, is under the supervision of a faculty member, and includes a substantive classroom component which will be fulfilled through distance learning. Students who take this course may not take Legal Extern Program II LAW 771 or Remote Legal Extern Program II LAW 776 .
This course is offered on a Pass/Fail basis.
(Note: This course counts for two non-classroom credit hours.)
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LAW 773 - Faith and the Practice of the Law Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This seminar will explore issues dealing with the relationship between the lawyer’s religious faith and the practice of law. Consideration will be given to the intersection between the demands of the modern law practice and the lawyer’s faith and values, and whether one can and how one can practice law in a manner consistent with one’s faith and values. A variety of readings dealing with how one’s faith perspective impacts one’s practice will be used in the course. Students will complete a paper on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with the instructor. This seminar does not satisfy the writing requirement.
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LAW 774 - Law and Economics Seminar Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This course draws from various areas of the common law - property, contract, tort and criminal – to examine economic theory as it applies to various legal problems. The economic analysis of law is a strong analytical tool for legal reasoning; students in this course will be encouraged to apply economic concepts to deepen their understanding of how the legal system as an institution functions in society. This course will also cover public regulation of the market, income and wealth distribution, the legal process, and the Constitution and the federal system. A background in economics is not a prerequisite.
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LAW 775 - Cyberlaw Seminar Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This course studies different aspects of the law that applies to the Internet and to the underlying software technologies forming networks to connect society, cultures and businesses in the real world. Students will have the opportunity to examine timely legal issues that pertain to emerging industries, cultures and communities, which are connected through a digital medium of online networks and virtual societies in cyberspace and the Internet. The course will examine the protection of underlying software technologies, the governance of transactions over the Internet, and the interaction and relationships among individuals and communities in the virtual world. The course will also look at tools and mechanisms that are available for private ordering of rights and self-regulation that are not available in real space and time. Course requirements are a written paper and class room presentation at the end of the semester. There are no technical prerequisites for the course. The required paper will satisfy the writing requirement.
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LAW 776 - Remote Legal Extern Program II Credits, 5 or 6 sem. hrs.
Prerequisite(s): Students must complete 45 semester hours in order to enroll in Legal Extern Program 776.
A small, selective program providing for a closely supervised externship with a judicial office, a not-for-profit office, or a government agency located outside the Jackson, Mississippi, metropolitan area. The program focuses on practical experience, is under the supervision of a faculty member, and includes a substantive classroom component which will be fulfilled through distance learning. Students who take this course may not take Legal Extern Program LAW 770 , Legal Extern Program II LAW 771 or Remote Legal Extern Program I LAW 772 .
This course is offered on a Pass/Fail basis.
(Note: This course counts for four non-classroom credit hours.)
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LAW 778 - Regulated Industries Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This course will survey regulated industries and activities to examine the regulatory framework under which they operate and will study how governing regulations are formulated and administered. The regulated industries that will be examined may include insurance, gaming, healthcare, banking & finance, corporations & securities, and various regulated professions. This course does not satisfy the writing requirement.
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LAW 780 - Basic Real Estate Transactions Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This course serves as an introduction to contractual, priority of right, and title assurance issues involved with transferring real estate. The course will cover the life cycle of a residential real estate purchase from the pre-contract period through closing. Course material includes an introduction to residential real estate markets and professionals, the title system, mortgages and deeds of trust, foreclosures, land contracts, liens, ownership forms, residential loan closings, and an introduction to selected basic commercial real estate issues.
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LAW 781 - Real Estate Finance and Development Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
Commercial real estate transactions including real estate brokerage, execution and breach of real estate contracts, usury, condominiums and cooperatives, sale-leaseback financing, shopping center leases and development, ground leases and mortgages, federal income tax aspects of real estate development.
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LAW 782 - Real Estate Practice Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This is a practical study in land title examination, certification and curative work. Course material includes mortgages and deeds of trust, foreclosures, land contracts, liens, ownership forms, residential loan closings, and an introduction to oil and gas title opinion drafting and title litigation.
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LAW 783 - Status of Forces Agreements Seminar Credits, 1-2 sem. hrs.
This seminar will focus on the international agreements used when the United States stations its forces in another country. Students will examine how these agreements are administered using the Status of Forces Agreements negotiated with Germany and Korea as the primary teaching vehicles. The seminar will examine how signatories work within the agreements to satisfy the needs of each signatory and how they adapt the agreements to deal with changed circumstances and conditions to avoid renegotiation of the agreements.
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LAW 785 - Drafting for Business Transactions Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
A study of the fundamentals of legal drafting in the context of transactional practice, utilizing exercises in drafting a variety of legal instruments for business transactions.
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LAW 786 - Mississippi Practice Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
A study of practice in Mississippi Circuit, County and Chancery Courts, from the commencement of the action through final judgment and execution. The course will emphasize the differences in practice and procedure in County, Chancery and Circuit Courts. Court jurisdiction and competence, equitable remedies and the special powers of the Chancery Court are studied, as is enforcement of judgments. The scope and substance of the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure and of Evidence are considered, particularly in areas where those rules differ from rules applicable to practice in federal courts.
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LAW 789 - Law Office Management Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This course is designed to expose the prospective practitioner to the economic realities of the practice of law. Covered in the course are such matters as the location of the law office, the economical furnishing thereof, the position of the attorney in the office with respect to opening practice, the purchase of law books, office equipment, bookkeeping and accounting, client relations, and other associated subjects.
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LAW 0790 - Special Projects IA Credits, 1 sem. hr.
Same as LAW 790 , but graded on a pass/fail basis. Whether a student enrolls in this course or LAW 790 is within the discretion of the supervising faculty member, and the election must be made at the time the student registers for the course.
This course is offered on a Pass/Fail basis.
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LAW 790 - Special Projects I Credits, 1 sem. hr.
This program is designed to allow students to pursue legal studies outside the structure of the prescribed curriculum under the supervision of a full-time faculty member. The student may be involved in a designated project, a tutorial, or other independent research. Whether a written project is required is subject to the discretion of the supervising faculty member, but in any event an accountability exercise is required. Before registering for this course, a student is required to prepare a description of the project and obtain permission of the supervising faculty member and the dean.
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LAW 0791 - Special Projects IIA Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
Same as LAW 791 but graded on a pass/fail basis. Whether a student enrolls in this course or LAW 791 is within the discretion of the supervising faculty member, and the election must be made at the time the student registers for the course.
This course is offered on a Pass/Fail basis.
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LAW 791 - Special Projects II Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
Same as LAW 790 but requiring substantially more work.
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LAW 794 - Electronic Research Seminar Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This course will focus on the effective use of the Internet for legal research. Students will learn when to use the Internet for research, how to evaluate sites and content, what resources are available on the Internet, and how to formulate effective search strategies. Because students will receive hands-on training in the Library computer lab, enrollment is limited to fifteen students. Grading will be based on research assignments, class participation and a short paper (10-15 pages) that critically evaluates electronic legal resources in a selected subject area. This seminar will satisfy the writing requirement if the student chooses to write a paper that conforms to the catalog requirements.
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LAW 795 - Writing Requirement Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This course is open to students who have completed the first-year curriculum and need to fulfill the advanced writing requirement as described under the Required Courses after the First Year section of this catalog. The program requires in-depth individual study and research of selected topics under the supervision of a full-time member of the faculty culminating in a paper of high quality. Before registering for this course, the student shall identify the topic to be researched and gain prior approval of supervising faculty member. At the conclusion of the semester, the student must attach an abstract of his paper to his instrument of certification. Special permission from the dean is required.
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LAW 797 - Advanced Legal Research and Writing Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
An intensive study of advanced legal research methods. Special emphasis is given to research in legislative and administrative materials. Competency in research skills is demonstrated through a substantial and comprehensive research project culminating in a paper of high quality.
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LAW 798 - Advanced Legal Analysis Credits, 3 sem. hrs.
This course is designed to help students review important legal concepts in bar-related subjects and to build on analytical, writing, and organizational skills necessary for the bar exam. While the most intense preparation for the bar exam occurs during the weeks immediately prior to the examination, this course will prepare students for that period of study.
This course is offered on a Pass/Fail basis.
Although designed to assist students with bar examination preparation, this course is not considered a substitute for the comprehensive commercial bar review courses.
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LAW 901 - Academic Legal Writing for Foreign Lawyers Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This 3 credit summer course is required for all LL.M. students. Enrollment is limited to foreign post-graduate students. The goal of the course is to teach students U.S. legal terminology and English composition skills in order to enable them to write correctly within U.S. legal studies, the U.S. work place or when representing a U.S. client in their home countries. Students submit article or case summaries twice weekly, allowing them to improve their writing skills. The summaries will be discussed in small groups. There will be an exam at the end of the course and before the start of the fall semester. Students must earn at least a “C” grade to pass. Passing is a condition for fall and spring course registration and enrollment.
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LAW 902 - Introduction to American Law Credits, 2 sem. hrs.
This 3 credit summer course is required for all LL.M. students. Enrollment is limited to foreign post-graduate students. The course will provide a comprehensive overview of the American legal system, the development and structure. It will provide an introduction to Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, torts, LAW 573 - Property , contracts and business law, civil procedure, Evidence, Criminal Procedure and LAW 755 . Students may be called upon and will have to prepare a paper, which they will present. The final exam is a 24 hour take-home exam at the end of the course and before the start of the fall semester. Students must earn at least a “C” grade to pass. Passing is a condition for fall and spring course registration and enrollment.
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LAW 903 - American Legal System I Credits, 1 sem. hr.
This course builds upon Introduction to American Law and focuses on using American case law, statutes and regulations to increase students’ understanding of core concepts in American law, such as Federalism, precedent and analogical reasoning. Enrollment is limited to foreign LL.M. students.
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LAW 904 - American Legal System II Credits, 1 sem. hr.
This course builds upon the greater understanding of core American legal concepts achieved in American Legal System I. In American Legal System II, students will continue to develop their ability to identify and analyze precedent and use advanced analogical reasoning, evaluate the primary schools of American jurisprudence and develop basic advocacy skills. Enrollment is limited to foreign LL.M. students.
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LAW 995 - LL.M. Thesis Course Credits, 0 sem. hrs.
Prerequisite(s): 1) This course is restricted to foreign LL.M. students.
2) A foreign LL.M. student wishing to enroll in this course must have completed the minimum 2-credit writing requirement as part of a seminar or special project.
3) The faculty member who supervises the student’s writing requirement must determine that the paper is of high enough quality that it can be revised into a thesis.
4) The Director of the LL.M. Program must approve the student’s enrollment in this course.
Foreign LL.M. students may enroll in this course to revise their completed writing requirement into a thesis. As a prerequisite for this course, the professor who supervises the student’s writing requirement must have determined that the paper is of high enough quality to be revised into a thesis. In addition, the Director of the LL.M. Program must approve the student’s enrollment in this course.
The Director or the LL.M. Program is responsible for supervising revision of the writing requirement, but both the Director and the original faculty member who supervised the student’s writing requirement must approve the final document being labeled as a thesis. The title of the thesis will be listed on the student’s transcript. The law school will retain a copy of each document that is successfully designated an LL.M. Thesis.
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