Federal Courts
Federal Courts - Professor Bob Klonoff
- Course Number: LAW-356
- Course Type: Foundational
- Credits: 3
- Enrollment Limit: Determined by the Registrar
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Description: Federal Courts builds on Civil Procedure and Constitutional Law I to address critical issues raised by litigation in federal courts. The course addresses the requirements for bringing a federal case (particularly standing and subject matter jurisdiction), whether the case can or should be in federal court at all (instead of in state court or before a federal administrative agency), the extent to which federal courts can create federal common law causes of action and rules of decision, the circumstances in which a federal court should abstain from hearing a case, and the role of federal courts in enforcing civil rights claims. Each topic consists of doctrinal rules or approaches as well as federalism and separation of powers rationales, and we will work to make these doctrines and rationales more concrete by applying them to specific problems and fact patterns.
The topics covered in this course are vital for anyone who will litigate in federal court, but they are also important for litigators in general because of the overlap between federal court and state court jurisdiction (e.g., federal question and diversity of citizenship). This course is also important for anyone who will clerk for a federal judge.
- Prerequisite: none
- Evaluation Method: Final exam
- Capstone: no
- WIE: no
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The American Bar Association accreditation standards require students to regularly attend the courses in which they are registered. Lewis & Clark expects students to attend classes regularly and to prepare for classes conscientiously. Specific attendance requirements may vary from course to course. Any attendance guidelines for a given class must be provided to students in a syllabus or other written document at the start of the semester. Sanctions (e.g., required withdrawal from the course, grade adjustment, and/or a failing grade) will be imposed for poor attendance.
Law Registrar is located in Legal Research Center on the Law Campus.
MSC: 51
email lawreg@lclark.edu
voice 503-768-6614
fax 503-768-6850
Registrar Tiffany Henning
Law Registrar
Lewis & Clark Law School
10101 S. Terwilliger Boulevard MSC 51
Portland OR 97219