Objective:
The course objective is to present the latest laws, regulations, and practices in the field, delivering extensive coverage of every aspect of the law and detailing the duties a paralegal is expected to perform.
Learning Outcomes:
- compare and contrast federal and state authorities in criminal law
- identify and describe the objectives of criminal law
- define the two basic elements of most crimes, mens rea and actus reus
- analyze contemporary legal issues concerning death and suicide
- describe the major provisions in the Constitution of the United States and its amendments that apply in the criminal context
General Course Topics:
- Legal system of the United States
- Introduction to criminal law
- The two essential elements
- Crimes against the person
- Crimes against property and habitation
- Crimes against the public
- Parties and inchoate offenses
- Factual and statutory defenses
- Constitutional defenses
- Introduction and participants
- Aspects of criminal procedure
- Searches, seizures, and arrests
- Law enforcement practices
- The pretrial process
- Trial
- Sentencing and appeal