Sport and Law in America
Instructor: James Wright, Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, College of Letters and Science
Description: Seminar topics address the interaction between the American legal system and sport and its' institutions in the United States. Specific focus will be on civil liability of coaches/instructors for sport related injuries, Title IX of Educational Act of 1972, civil and criminal liability for violence in sport, drug testing and athletes' rights, and issues related to the employment of athletes. The goals of the class are to provide the students with a basic legal framework with which to view and critically assess current topics and issues related to sport in the U.S.
Format: The seminar will meet for 7 consecutive Mondays running from 1:40 PM to 3:30 PM. The time will be a balance of lecture, discussion, and presentations based on short papers. Reading material will be provided, including excerpts from appellate case law. There is no text for the course. Grading: Students will be required to prepare and present a short paper (3-5 pages) on one of the topics based on the readings and approved by the instructor. Students will be assigned a letter grade based on the quality of the paper (40%), the quality of the presentation (20%), and the frequency and quality of participation in class (40%).
About the Instructor: James Wright is a retired attorney formerly specializing in civil litigation in northern California and is a graduate of UC Davis' Martin Luther King School of Law. Currently Mr. Wright is a lecturer in the Department of Physical Education at UC Davis and is also Head Coach of the UC Davis Women's Water Polo team. He is also Co-Head Coach of the Davis Water Polo Club and a former US Women's National Team Coach.