Biography

A prolific scholar whose jurisprudential interests range from law and economics to cognitive psychology, Mark G. Kelman has applied social science approaches to diverse legal fields including criminal law, taxation, administrative regulation, and disability law. His most recent research has focused on whether the concept of human welfare, which we often use to evaluate the success of policy or the justice of distribution of goods and opportunities, can and should be refined. In addition to being a long-time teacher of both criminal law and property to first-year students, he has served as the academic coordinator, academic associate dean, and, currently, vice dean at the law school. Before joining the Stanford Law School faculty in 1977, Professor Kelman was the director of Criminal Justice Projects for the Fund for the City of New York.

Key Works

• Mark G. Kelman, Hedonic Psychology and the Ambiguities of ‘Welfare’, 33 Philosophy & Public Affairs 391 (2005)
• Mark G. Kelman, Market Discrimination and Groups, 53 Stanford Law Review 833-896 (2001).
• Mark G. Kelman, Interpretive Construction in the Substantive Criminal Law, in Philosophy of Law, by Joel Feinberg and Jules Coleman, 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thompson Learning, 2000.
• Mark G. Kelman and Gillian Lester, Jumping the Queue: An Inquiry into the Legal Treatment of Students with Learning Disabilities, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1998. 313 pages.

In the News

• Stanford Law School Nixes Letter Grades for Students
  The Daily Journal, June 11, 2008
• Seven University Scholars Elected Fellows of Eminent Learned Society
  Stanford Report, April 30, 2008

Courses & Programs

Courses

• Criminal Law
• Income Distribution
• Property

Publications & Cases

Recent Publications View All

• Mark Kelman, Defining the Antidiscrimination Norm to Defend It, 43 San Diego Law Review 735 (2006).
• Mark G. Kelman, Thinking About Sexual Consent (Book review: Alan Wertheimer, Consent To Sexual Relations) 58 Stanford Law Review 935 (2006).
• Mark G. Kelman, American Criminal Law: Cases, Statutes, and Comments, New York: Foundation Press, 2005. (with Markus D. Dubber)
• Mark G. Kelman, Hedonic Psychology and the Ambiguities of ‘Welfare’, 33 Philosophy & Public Affairs 391 (2005)
• Mark Kelman, Introduction to the Disability Rights Symposium, 14.2 Stanford Law & Policy Review 235-237 (2003).
• Mark Kelman, Law and Behavioral Science: Conceptual Overviews, 97 Northwestern University Law Review 1347-1392 (Spring 2003).
• Mark Kelman, Hedonic Psychology, Political Theory and Law (I): Is Welfarism Possible?, Stanford Law and Economics Olin Working Paper No. 242, 83 pages, (September 2002).
• Mark Kelman, Problematic Perhaps, But Not Irrational, 54 Stanford Law Review 1273-1292 (June 2002).
• Mark Kelman, Book Review: From Contract to Convenant: Beyond the Law and Economics of the Family (by Margaret F. Brinig), 39 Journal of Economic Literature 153-155 (2001).
• Mark G. Kelman, Market Discrimination and Groups, 53 Stanford Law Review 833-896 (2001).