Susan R. Klein
- Alice McKean Young Regents Chair in Law
- Professor

Susan Klein, the Alice McKean Young Regents Chair, is a nationally prominent scholar in the fields of criminal procedure, federal criminal law, sentencing, and prosecutorial ethics. Her many articles have appeared in top-10 law journals and have been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court. Having consulted on numerous high-profile criminal cases, Professor Klein also serves on the State Bar of Texas standing committee on Criminal Pattern Jury Charges, and is the Reporter for the Fifth Circuit Pattern Jury Instructions (West 2024).
Featured Work
Susan Riva Klein is the Alice McKean Young Regents Chair in Law at the University of Texas School of Law. Upon graduation from Boalt Hall School of Law second in her class, she clerked for Judge Cynthia H. Hall on the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals and spent four years as a federal criminal prosecutor with the U.S. Dept. of Justice through the Attorney General's Honor Program. While in the Criminal Division, she rotated through the Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture section, the Public Integrity Unit, Terrorism & Violent Crimes, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. She is now a nationally prominent scholar in the fields of criminal procedure, federal criminal law, sentencing, and prosecutorial ethics. Her many articles have appeared in top ten law journals and have been cited by the SCOTUS. She is co-author of Abrams, Beale, & Klein, "Federal Criminal Law and Its Enforcement (7th ed., West 2020) and 2023 update, a widely adopted casebook at many law schools. Professor Klein is active in educating state and federal judges, prosecutors, and the defense bar. She's the Reporter for the Fifth Circuit Pattern Jury Instructions, Criminal (West 2024), and also currently serves on the State Bar of Texas standing committee on Pattern Jury Charges - Criminal (10 volumes published by the State Bar of Texas between 2009 and 2021). Professor Klein has consulted on numerous high-profile criminal cases.
No publications or activities matching the current search and filters.
year-2025
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Book
Federal Criminal Law and Its Enforcement
Susan R. Klein. Federal Criminal Law and Its Enforcement (edited by 8th. West, May 5, 2025). View online.
year-2024
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Other Publication
Fifth Circuit Pattern Jury Instructions (West 2024).
Susan R. Klein. “Fifth Circuit Pattern Jury Instructions (West 2024)..” (West, August 28, 2024). View online. -
Other Activity
Internship Open House at UT Law School
Susan R. Klein. “Internship Open House at UT Law School” at Texas Law (February 6, 2024). -
Presentation / Panelist / Discussant
Presidential Power and the Trump Administration
Susan R. Klein, Stephen Vladeck, Lee Kovarsky, Theodore Rave. "Presidential Power and the Trump Administration" at Texas Law (January 22, 2024).
year-2021
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Article
Apprendi Transformed the Federal Sentencing Guidelines into a Series of Judicial Obstacles; Can Shame Reduce the Racial Disparities (99 North Carolina Law Review 1391)
Susan R. Klein, Kallie Klein. “Apprendi Transformed the Federal Sentencing Guidelines into a Series of Judicial Obstacles; Can Shame Reduce the Racial Disparities (99 North Carolina Law Review 1391).” In 99 North Carolina Law Review, Page 1391 (2021). View online.
year-2020
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Book
Teacher's Manual - Federal Criminal Law and Its Enforcement 7th ed.
Susan R. Klein, Norm Abrams, Sara Sun Beale. Teacher's Manual - Federal Criminal Law and Its Enforcement 7th ed. ( West Academic, July 27, 2020). View online. -
Book
Federal Criminal Law and Its Enforcement 7th Edition
Susan R. Klein, Norm Abrams, Sara Sun Beale. Federal Criminal Law and Its Enforcement 7th Edition ( West Academic, July 27, 2020). View online.
year-2019
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Book Review
Policing in a Democracy Without Privacy, Book Review of Barry Freidman "Unwarranted: Policing Without Permission"
Susan R. Klein, Chloe Teeter. “Policing in a Democracy Without Privacy, Book Review of Barry Freidman "Unwarranted: Policing Without Permission".” In 57 New England Law Review, (forthcoming 2019). Review of Barry Freidman Unwarranted: Policing Without Permission. -
Article
Movements in the Discretionary Authority of Federal District Court Judges Over the Last 50 Years
Susan R. Klein. “Movements in the Discretionary Authority of Federal District Court Judges Over the Last 50 Years.” In 50 Loyola (Chicago) Law Review, Page 933 (Summer 2019). View online. -
Other Activity
Moderator on Panel III: "Prosecutorial Independence," Reclaiming and Restoring Constitutional Norms, sponsored by the Texas Law Review and The American Constitutional Society
Susan R. Klein. “Moderator on Panel III: "Prosecutorial Independence," Reclaiming and Restoring Constitutional Norms, sponsored by the Texas Law Review and The American Constitutional Society” (February 8, 2019).
year-2018
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Other Activity
Participant in "Policing in a Democracy Without Privacy," Southeastern Association of Law Schools Annual Conference
Susan R. Klein. “Participant in "Policing in a Democracy Without Privacy," Southeastern Association of Law Schools Annual Conference” at SEALS Conference 2018 Ft. Lauderdale, FL (August 5, 2018). -
Other Publication
2018 Update to Federal Criminal Law and Its Enforcement
Susan R. Klein, Sara Sun Beale, Norm Abrams. “2018 Update to Federal Criminal Law and Its Enforcement.” (West, 2018). -
Book Chapter
Opinion analysis: Form order certifying that judge considered appropriate factors was sufficient to explain sentencing modification
Susan R. Klein. “Opinion analysis: Form order certifying that judge considered appropriate factors was sufficient to explain sentencing modification” View online. -
Book Chapter
Argument analysis: “Asking for crumbs” in judges’ explanations of sentencing modifications
Susan R. Klein. “Argument analysis: “Asking for crumbs” in judges’ explanations of sentencing modifications” View online. -
Book Chapter
Argument Preview: How Fully Must a Court Explain a Sentencing Modification?
Susan R. Klein. “Argument Preview: How Fully Must a Court Explain a Sentencing Modification?” View online. -
Article
Immigration Defense Waivers in Federal Criminal Plea Agreements
Susan R. Klein, Elissa C. Steglich, Donna Elm. “Immigration Defense Waivers in Federal Criminal Plea Agreements.” In 69 Mercer Law Review, Page 839 (Spring 2018). View online.
year-2017
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Other Activity
Debate: Federal Criminal Justice Reform
Susan R. Klein. “Debate: Federal Criminal Justice Reform” (October 16, 2017). -
Other Activity
Immigration Defense Waivers in Federal Criminal Plea Agreements
Susan R. Klein. “Immigration Defense Waivers in Federal Criminal Plea Agreements” at Mercer University School of Law (October 6, 2017). -
Other Activity
Workshop for New Law School Teachers
Susan R. Klein. “Workshop for New Law School Teachers” at Seals 2017 Conference (August 2, 2017). -
Other Activity
Southeastern Association of Law Schools 2017 Conference
Susan R. Klein. “Southeastern Association of Law Schools 2017 Conference” at SEALS Conference 2017 (July 31, 2017).
spring 2026
- Federal Criminal Law
- Internship: Federal Public Defender
- Internship: U.S. Army JAG Corps
- Internship: U.S. Attorney
- SMNR: Supreme Court Docket: Criminal Law & Procedure Cases