Professor Schnably’s Courses -- 2011-2012
 

Constitutional Law I(D) (Law 017A)
 

Optional Review Session:   There will be an Optional Review Session on Sunday, May 6, 2012, at 3:30 pm in Room 309.
Pre-Exam Office Hours:   On Monday, May 7, I will have office hours from 10:00 am - 12:30 pm and 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm.
  • In the morning period, you can come any time you want. I have a several chairs in my office so the idea will be that so long as there’s an empty chair you can come in and take one. If 15 minutes pass with someone waiting outside to ask a question, my assistant will let me know and whoever has been in my office will have to yield their place. (Of course, they can came back again if there’s time.)
  • For the afternoon, groups of three or more can sign up for a 15 minute slot. (Groups or individuals who don’t have an appointment you can still stop by and see if there’s an open time, in which case they can walk in.) You can ask for a specific time and we’ll try to accommodate it, but there’s no guarantee.
To schedule an afternoon appointment, click here. If the link doesn’t work, then please e-mail my assistant, Ms. Trudy Ferreira, at tferreira@law.miami.edu. Include your name and the names of the others in your group, and the time you prefer. Also include a phone contact.
Course Description:   An introduction to constitutional interpretation and to the structural provisions of the constitution.
Semester:   Spring 2012
Credits:   4
Meeting Times:   Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, 2:00 p.m.-3:20 p.m.
Meeting Room:   Room F309.
Office Hours:   See above.
Ground Rules:   You must read the Ground Rules before the first class. After reading the Ground Rules, please click here (or use the same link on the Ground Rules page) to send an acknowledgment that you have read the Ground Rules.
Dean’s Fellow:   Simeon Genadiev. For the schedule of meetings, see the Academic Achievement Program’s Dean’s Fellow page.
Casebook / Other Materials:  
  • Geoffrey R. Stone, et al., Constitutional Law (6th ed. 2009) (available at the bookstore)
  • 2011 Supplement to Geoffrey R. Stone, et al., Constitutional Law (6th ed. 2009) (available at the bookstore)
  • Supplementary Materials, Parts I-VI (pp. 1-317):
    • Part I: pp. 1-171
    • Part II: pp. 172-205
    • Part III: pp. 206-227
    • Part IV: pp. 228-261
    • Part V: pp. 262-271
    • Part VI: pp. 272-317
Syllabus:   Available here.
Current Assignments:   The Assignments for each week will be posted on the Current Assignment page. (You can also find a link to that page on the Syllabus. You may want to bookmark the Syllabus page.)
Exam and Class Participation:   The exam will be open book. You may bring any written material with you that you would find helpful. Class participation may raise your grade by a half a grade, but not lower it. I may also lower your grade by half a grade for excessive absences. See the Ground Rules for details.

Past Exams: (I recommend that you wait until near the end of the semester to review these.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Comparative Constitutional Law (Law 337A)
 

Course Description:   This course will focus on a systematic examination of different structures for organizing and establishing governments to provide flexibility, efficiency, and protection of basic rights. The readings and discussion will raise general issues regarding the nature and function of constitutions, written and unwritten, and will also include examinations of specific constitutional provisions and cases from other countries. Some materials covered will roughly parallel what is covered in U.S. Constitutional Law I (structure of government), and others will roughly parallel what is typically covered in U.S. Constitutional Law II (protection of rights). There are no prerequisites, though prior exposure to the material covered in U.S. Constitutional Law I will be assumed.
Semester:   Spring 2012
Credits:   3
Meeting Times:   Tuesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-10:50 a.m.
Meeting Room:  
  • Tuesdays: E265
  • Thursdays: G363
Office Hours:   Please check the Office Hours page. You may also contact me by e-mail to request an appointment.
Casebook / Other Materials:  
  • Vicki C. Jackson & Mark Tushnet, Comparative Constitutional Law (2d ed. 2006)
    • Where you can get it: the Bookstore
  • Documentary Supplement to Vicki C. Jackson & Mark Tushnet, Comparative Constitutional Law (2d ed. 2006)
    • Where you can get it: the Bookstore
  • Additional Document Supplement
    • Where you can get it: here
  • Supplementary Readings, Parts I (pp. 1-71), II (pp. 72-88), and III (pp. 89-167)
    • Where you can get it: here
Ground Rules:   Mandatory: You must read the Ground Rules before the first day of class, and observe them at all times.
Syllabus:   Available here.
Current Assignments:   The Assignments for each week will be posted on the Current Assignment page. (You can also find a link to that page on the Syllabus. You may want to bookmark the Syllabus page.)
Exam:   The exam will be open book. You may bring any written material with you that you would find helpful.

New:   2007 Exam. Note: Although there is certainly significant overlap, the material covered in the earlier course was not the same as what we have covered. You should use this exam mainly to get an idea of what the exam will be like.

The final grade will be determined by the exam; class participation can raise but not lower the exam grade, by a half a grade or in very strong cases by a grade.

 

 

 

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