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Oregon Criminal Law

Oregon Criminal Law: Arrest to Justice - Professors Amanda Thibeault and Marie Atwood

Course Number: LAW-521
Course Type: Foundational AND Experiential
Credits: 3
Enrollment Limit: 20
Description: Students will learn the practical and legal reality of criminal law in Oregon by working through a hypothetical case from arrest to sentencing. The class will focus on six main stages of a criminal case (minus trial): complaint/arrest/grand jury/indictment; release decision; discovery; motions to suppress; plea negotiations; and, to a limited extent, sentencing. Each stage will involve instruction on relevant Oregon law and practice and a simulation where students must do the work of a prosecutor or defense attorney in that stage of a case. Ethical issues will be discussed as they arise but this class does not qualify for professional responsibility credits.
Prerequisite: none
Evaluation Method: Grading will be based on student performance of each weekly simulation, focusing on students’ application of relevant law, management of client and/or victim relationships, and oral and written advocacy.
Capstone: no
WIE: no

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.