First-Year Courses

As a general practice, each first-year course is divided into two or more sections. Each first-year student is assigned randomly to specific sections of his or her first-year courses.

Civil Procedure Development of procedure, jurisdiction, and venue; stating the plaintiff's claims, amendments, defendants' responsive pleadings, discovery, pretrial, disposition of cases with trial, right to jury trial, res judicata, parties, interpleader, intervention, class suits, impleader, introduction to appellate review.

Constitutional Law The study of the United States Constitution, in terms of the structure of government it establishes and the rights it confers upon individuals. The course explores the origin and operation of judicial review, the separation of powers, and more generally the interrelationship between the branches of the federal government, and the respective powers of the federal and state governments, particularly with respect to the regulation of interstate and foreign commerce. It also provides an initial exposure to the protection of civil liberties and civil rights, including doctrines relating to equal protection of the laws and procedural and substantive due process of law.

Contracts The study of voluntary obligations. The course explores the bases for enforcing promises, e.g., consideration, bargain and reliance, and quasicontractual obligations. The mechanics of contract formation, including formalities and the effects of adopting a writing, are also explored. The course focuses upon the interpretation of contract and identification of breach, and the subject of remedies and the interests protected by various methods of contract enforcement and calculation of damages. It may also cover conditions, order of performance, and measures used to incorporate realities external to the classic contract, such as justifications for nonperformance and the concept of relational contracts.

Criminal Law The study of the substantive criminal law as a means of social control. The course focuses on evaluation of the considerations which do, or should, determine what behavior warrants criminal sanctions. Also explores the factors which bear on the treatment or punishment to be imposed for such conduct.

LAWR-Legal Analysis, Writing, and Research I,II LAWR I - An introduction to the fundamentals of legal reasoning, research, and writing. Includes classroom instruction, library exercises, LEXIS and WESTLAW training, independent research, and writing projects.

LAWR II - Students are introduced to persuasive legal writing by focusing on the analytical, research, and writing skills involved with legal brief writing. Students write a trial level or an appellate brief. Oral arguments are also part of the course process and are often conducted at the federal or state courthouses in Camden. As in LAWR I, the focus of the course is on the writing process and involves substantial feedback on multiple drafts.

Legal Research and Writing I,II This course covers how to research legal sources, analyze legal issues, and write objective and persuasive documents. Students research, draft, and revise several objective memoranda, a trial brief, and an appellate brief that cover a wide variety of legal topics. Students present an appellate oral argument in the spring semester.

Property The study of the rights associated with real property, with special emphasis on possessory estates and basic concepts such as possession, ownership, and title. Rights in the land of another and a brief introduction to future interests and, at times, to personal property also included. An introduction to the concept of property generally precedes the study of ownership and use of land.

Torts The study of the nature of civil wrongs and of elementary jurisprudential conceptions concerning liability. Intentional torts and their relations to the law of crimes; the law of negligence; theories of causation and their philosophical foundations; products liability and other forms of liability without fault; and professional malpractice, affirmative defenses, comparative fault, damages, insurance, and alternatives to the torts system may also be discussed.