Maritime Injuries Litigation

This class has been canceled.

Semester: Spring 2017
Course ID: 377D
Credit Hours: 3
Unique: 28710

Course Information

Grading Method: Pass/Fail Not Allowed
Professional Skills: Satisfies ABA Professional Skills Requirement

Registration Information

Upperclass-only elective

Meeting Times

Day	Time	Location
WED	4:00 - 6:50 pm	TNH 3.128

Description

1. PREREQUISITE: ADMIRALTY. 2. GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The course is organized along the lines of an appellate court. We will brief and argue admiralty and maritime appeals. 3. STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES: We deal with several rounds of cases; the number of rounds depends on enrollment. a. First rounds: (1) Each student will be assigned the role of counsel for appellant (or rehearing applicant, petitioner for certiorari, etc.) in a recent case. In that capacity, the student will be obligated to: (i) prepare a “bench memorandum” (essentially an abbreviated brief) and timely file it with the instructor, serving each member of the class; and (ii) deliver a 20-minute oral argument. (2) In addition each student will be assigned the role of counsel for appellee in a different case. In that capacity, the student will be obligated to (i) prepare, file, and serve an appropriate bench memorandum and (ii) deliver a 20-minute oral argument. b. Second round: The same drill as the first round, except that here counsel for appellant will prepare, file, and serve a full brief. c. Subsequent rounds (if any): Same as first round. d. Judging: The instructor and the students who are not counsel in the case under consideration will sit as an appellate court to hear arguments and render decision. e. Edit and rewrite: The instructor will critique and edit the appellants' briefs. Each student will be responsible for rewriting the brief in response to that edit. Sometimes more than one round of editing and rewriting may be desirable. f. Criteria for bench memoranda: There is no required form or format. In general, the bench memorandum should be no longer than five double-spaced pages. It should set forth the main factual and legal arguments counsel expects to make, together with any authorities that are squarely on point or otherwise centrally important. g. Criteria for full brief: The briefs should conform to the applicable rules of court in every particular save length; as to length, they should not exceed 25 double- spaced typewritten pages. 4. GRADING: There is no examination. The course grade will be determined on the basis of the student's demonstrated ability and effort in fulfilling each of the obligations outlined above. There is no formal weighting of the assigned tasks, although obviously the appellant's full brief and the oral arguments count the most. The assessment for grading purposes will be made on the basis of the entire semester's oral and written work. 5. RULES: (a) Missing a session of the course is impermissible except by prearrangement. (b) As is true in most appellate courts, late submission of the brief can mean forfeiture of oral argument. (c) Missing oral argument is a capital offense.

Textbooks ( * denotes required )

No materials required

Instructors

Robertson, David W

Important Class Changes

Date	Updated
02/02/2017	Course cancelled
	Professional skills designated
	Meeting times changed