FRS 004— Sec. 012— (2 units) — CRN 53640— R 3:10-5:30pm — 5 Wellman
The Supreme Court and You

Instructor: Joseph Antognini, Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine

Description: This course is intended to introduce the student to the workings of the Supreme Court and how its decisions over the years have affected everyday life. Students will choose past and current pending cases to discuss, taking pro and con sides where appropriate. Students are encouraged to choose cases that have had an impact on the average citizen. These might include abortion rights, affirmative action, school segregation, sexual harassment, the line-item veto, police abuse of Miranda rights and free speech on the Internet. Students will develop oral arguments for each case and will write a position paper on one past case and one pending current case.

Format: The seminar will meet for two and one-half hours each week for eight weeks. Students are expected to write a short paper on the past case that they have researched and presented. Current cases will be chosen and assigned according to each student’s interest. Oral arguments will be developed (pro and con) and each case discussed. A short paper on the current and past cases chosen by each student are due at the time the cases are presented. Grading: Students will be graded on their participation/critical thinking in class (30%), on their past case paper (30%), and on their current case paper (30%). Students will be required to read “The Courage of Their Convictions” by Peter Irons (Penguin Books, 1990). One of the cases in the book will be the subject of a test administered on the last class day (10% of grade). Optional textbooks for instruction: R.G. McCloskey: The American Supreme Court, Univ. of Chicago Press; Ellen Greenberg: The Supreme Court Explained, W.W. Norton. Students can also access various web sites to learn about current cases pending before the Supreme Court, as well as past cases.

About the Instructor: Joe Antognini is a Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology in the School of Medicine. He has had a long standing interest in the Supreme Court and its decisions. He has followed the Court for many years, and is interested in how the Court affects everyday life. This is his sixth year teaching this class. His medical research interests include mechanisms of anesthesia and neuroscience of pain.