This seminar examines trials and pleas and their relation to one
another in the disposition of criminal cases.  We shall consider the
place of the trial in the adversary system and the role of the jury,
including its selection, performance, and impact.  We will then turn
our attention to plea negotiations -- the origins and rise of the
practice, its nature, and its consequences for individuals and
society.  We shall consider also the desirability and feasibility of
bench trials as alternatives to plea negotiations.  Comparisons to
practice in Continental and other legal systems will be made.

Requirements:  Class sessions will include short lectures,
discussions, and in-class exercises.  Students will be given practice
in drawing implications from what they read, marshaling evidence, and
presenting arguments.  I expect students to attend class and to
participate in discussions.

Class Meeting:  Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30-10:45

Instructor:  Mary Lee Luskin, criminal justice department