SOC/CJS 321 – Law, Society and Social Science          Cliff Donn
Spring 2011                                                                   Office R-416 Ext. 4484
web.lemoyne.edu/~donn/class/soc321/soc321.htm          E-mail donn@lemoyne.edu

CASE PRESENTATION ASSIGNMENT

STRUCTURE OF PRESENTATIONS: Each student will have a formal role in two sets of presentations (and each student will have an informal role in all presentations and is expected to be present for all). First, each student will be part of a team of three or four presenting the case on one side of a legal controversy. So, for each topic, there will be six or seven student presentations, three or four on each side of the issue. In addition, there will be a "judicial panel" of six or seven students for each topic and each will be assigned to ask at least one question of a particular presenter during the presentation. Judges may ask more questions and may ask them of other presenters if they choose. At the end of the formal presentations and questioning, other members of the class may ask questions of both the presenters and the judges. All such questions will be part of the student's class participation grade. Finally, the judicial panel will be asked to assess which side has made the more convincing presentations.

CONTENT OF PRESENTATIONS: The form of each presentation is that of an amicus curae brief on the issue in question. Team members should consult with each other adequately to assure that each such brief covers a different aspect of the topic and they will choose the order of presentation to produce a logical sequence of arguments. In particular, the briefs should highlight studies and particular social science evidence that cast light on the issue and that support the presenter's position. Opinion and ideology are not desired. Material for the presentations may include scholarly articles (including optional readings from the course reading list), statutes, and court decisions. Other materials may be used as well but opinion pieces, popular media, blogs, etc. will not be useful.

EVALUATION: Presenters will be evaluated on the style of their presentations, the quality of their research, and their evaluation of the evidence they present. Judges will be evaluated on the insight they show in the questions they ask.

MATERIAL TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE INSTRUCTOR: All presenters must submit their briefs to the instructor at the end of the presentation. Each should be three to four double-spaced pages long (Arial font, twelve point, one inch margins top, bottom and left side). Each should carefully cite any articles or cases used in preparing the presentation. Each brief should have at least three scholarly sources cited. Citations should include the individual page numbers where the cited material is located. If you are unsure as to citation style, see the link on the course home page.

TOPICS: The topics for class presentation will be selected early in the semester from those listed below. If you would like to add a topic to this list for consideration, suggest it within the first three weeks of the semester.

• The Death Penalty
• Gun Control
• Trying Children Under Sixteen Years Old as Adults
• Employment at will
• Hate Crime Law
• Affirmative Action
• An Eighteen Year-old Drinking Age
• Illegally Gathered Evidence
• The Rights of Terror Suspects or alternatively, the Constitutionality of the USA Patriot Act
• Immigration and Illegal Immigrants
• Residency Limitations for Convicted Sex Offenders
• Privatization of Social Security
• Native American Land Claims in Central New York
• Drug Legalization
• Universal Health Care

The following topics will be the subject of the case presentations for the Spring 2011 semester. The "pro" side is arguing in favor of the propositions and the "con" side is arguing against.

1. The death penalty should be banned in the United States.

2. Abortion should be permitted in the United States at the discretion of the pregnant woman at any time up to six months of pregnancy.

3. Marijuana, cocaine and heroin (and their derivatives) should be legal for distribution, sale and consumption in the United States.

4. All undocumented immigrants residing in the United States should be apprehended and returned to their country of origin.

Below are the team assignments for the case presentations

1. Death Penalty (April 19, Judges are those doing Abortion)

Pro - Goike, Nadolny, O'Brien

Con - Carpenter, Estabrook, Scheurer

2. Abortion (April 26, Judges are those doing Drug Legalization)

Pro - Alleyne, Fetsch, Turo

Con - Christine, Grimmick, Newman, Rowland

3. Drug Legalization (April 28, Judges are those doing Immigration)

Pro - DeBottis, Jackson, Myers

Con - Carriere, Hart, Lundquist, Senecal

4. Immigration (May 3, Judges are those doing Death Penalty)

Pro - Brooks, Desai, Montgomery, Naspany

Con - Craig, Dodge, Sellon