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Criminal Defense Clinic

Description

Students in the Criminal Defense Clinic will represent indigent criminal defendants in a wide range of misdemeanor cases. Students will take the lead role in all aspects of case development, including interviewing clients and witnesses, investigating facts, developing case strategy, drafting and arguing motions, and trying cases before judges and juries. Common charges include drug possession, public order offenses, assault, theft, and weapons possession. While students will have primary responsibility for all aspects of their cases, all trial work will be closely supervised by clinic faculty.

Throughout the quarter, clinic students will also actively participate in weekly seminars. The classes focus both on individual case work and on broader systemic issues. The aim of the clinic is to train students how to zealously and ethically try a criminal case from beginning to end while engaging in thoughtful reflection on the role of the criminal defense attorney in the criminal justice system.

While the work is often challenging and sometimes heartbreaking, it offers students a unique opportunity to put their skills, intellect and compassion to use by serving poor clients in a moment of great need.

Special instructions: General Structure of Clinical Courses The Law School's clinical courses are offered on a full-time basis for 12 credits. This allows students to obtain an immersive professional experience without the need to balance clinical projects with other classes, exams and papers. (The rules described here do not apply to Advanced Clinics for students who are continuing with a clinic in which they were previously enrolled. For information about Advanced Clinics, please see the course descriptions for those courses.)

Students enrolled in a clinic are not permitted to enroll in any other classes, seminars, directed research or other credit-yielding activities within the Law School or University during the quarter in which they are enrolled in a clinic. Nor are they allowed to serve as Teaching Assistants who are expected to attend a class on a regular basis.

There is a limited exception for joint degree students who are required to take specific courses each quarter and who would be foreclosed from ever taking a clinic unless allowed to co-register.

Clinic students are expected to work in the clinical center during most business hours Monday through Friday. Students are also expected to be available by e-mail or cell phone when elsewhere during those hours. Because students have no other courses (and hence no exams or papers), the clinical quarter begins the first day of classes and runs through the final day of the examination period. Students should not plan personal travel during the Monday to Friday work week without authorization from the clinical supervisor.

The work during the week is divided into three components. First, the main component is the work on client matters or case work. Students are expected to devote at least 30 hours per week on average to the various facets of this work (this time includes meetings with instructors to discuss the work). In some weeks longer hours may be required depending on client needs and case work demands. Second, students will spend approximately five-to-seven hours per week preparing for and participating in a weekly seminar or seminars. Third, over the course of the quarter each student will prepare for and participate in periodic inter-clinic small group Grand Rounds sessions.

Students will be awarded three separate grades for their clinical quarter, each reflecting four credits. The three grades are broken into the following categories: clinical practice; clinical methods; and clinical coursework. Grading is pursuant to the H/P system.

Students may not enroll in any clinic (basic or advanced) which would result in them earning more than 27 clinical credits during their law school career.

  • Number of Units: 4
  • Course Number: 408

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All Criminal Law and Procedure courses:

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