Curricular Guide Sheet
Criminal Law Course Group
The Criminal Law and Procedure curriculum encompasses a wide array of courses useful to anyone interested in a career involving criminal law, whether as a prosecutor or defense attorney, at the state or federal level. Taken as a whole, the curriculum offers the student the opportunity to develop a strong foundation through the core courses and to build upon that foundation with more advanced, specific courses and clinical/practice opportunities.
The courses listed below include those that are considered central to a well-rounded understanding of criminal law and procedure, as well as those that build upon that core and help a student develop an advanced understanding and appreciation of law and theory in this area.
Core Curriculum:
The following courses form the core of the study of Criminal Law and Procedure:
Criminal Law: This is a required course, taught in the second semester of the first year. It introduces the student to the state's role in the control of antisocial behavior through law. The course explores theories of responsibility, punishment and reform. It also teaches fundamental principles of substantive criminal law, including: criminal acts and intent; justification and excuse; attempt, complicity and conspiracy. Homicide crimes are also explored in depth, as they illustrate many of the central theories of criminal law.
Criminal Procedure: Investigation, Arrest and The Right to Counsel: This class analyzes the legal and practical problems of the administration of criminal justice, primarily focusing on pre-trial procedures-from police investigation through arrest and up to the commencement of the judicial process. The course focuses on many Fourth Amendment issues, including arrest, search and seizure, the warrant requirement and its exceptions. The Fifth and Sixth Amendments are also analyzed, particularly in the context of the right to counsel, police interrogation, confessions, and identification procedures. While not a required class, this class is strongly recommended for all students, since the topics it covers are pervasively tested on virtually all Bar exams.
Criminal Procedure: Prosecution and Adjudication: This course complements Criminal Procedure: Investigation, Arrest and The Right to Counsel, and begins with the commencement of adversarial judicial proceedings. Specific topics include the screening and charging process, bail and pretrial detention, and discovery. Moving beyond that, many trial-related issues are also explored, including: the right to a trial by jury; sentencing; double jeopardy; and post-conviction relief.
Advanced Offerings:A student who is well-rounded in the area of criminal law and procedure must also explore advanced topics in some depth. In addition to the core courses discussed above, the curricular options include:
- Federal Criminal Law
- International Criminal Law
- White Collar Prosecution
- Post-Conviction Remedies & Prisoners' Rights (AWR seminar)
- Criminal Sentencing
- Death Penalty
- Expert Witnesses (AWR seminar)
- White Collar Defense
- Issues in Counterterrorism
Clinical/Practice Opportunities:
In addition to the in-class courses, the Criminal Law & Procedure curriculum offers many opportunities for students to gain practical, hands-on experience in criminal defense and prosecution through our clinical and externship programs. For example, students may enroll in Advanced Criminal Practice, an upper division course that is parts of our Skills Curriculum, as well as the Juvenile Justice Clinic, which provides representation to juveniles in hearings conducted in Superior Court.
We also offer for-credit externships with a host of governmental agencies, including:
- Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office
- Essex County Prosecutor’s Office
- Federal Public Defender’s Office, District of New Jersey
- Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office
- King’s County Prosecutor’s Office
- Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office
- New Jersey Public Defenders, Essex County Adult
- Queens County District Attorney’s Office
- U.S. Attorney’s Office (District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Southern District of New York)
- Warren County Prosecutor’s Office