Accounting for Law Students (2 cr.) D/N 675 - Elective - introduces students to basic principles and techniques of accounting for law students with little or no prior background in accounting. Selected legal problems involving the application of accounting concepts will be considered. Unless needed for the Corporate and Commercial Law Graduate Certificate, enrollment is limited to students with no previous credits in accounting.
Administrative Law (3 cr.) D/N 647 - Required (HR) - considers the roles of administrative agencies in the structure of government, constitutional limitations on agency action, and analysis of agency functions; emphasizing informal procedures and placing formal procedures of investigation, rule-making, and hearings in perspective. P: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in Constitutional Law (DN620) or permission of instructor.
Admiralty Law (2 cr.) D/N 775 - Elective - covers maritime law, including jurisdiction in admiralty, maritime liens, maritime torts and wrongful death, salvage, limitation of liability, pilotage, and towage.
Advanced Course Related Experience (ACRE) (1-3 cr.) D/N 803 - Elective - This course allows students to earn academic credit for experiential learning done in conjunction with a classroom course that they have taken, or are taking, for credit. Students work in conjunction with full-time faculty members to design and execute proposals for learning how law and theory learned in the classroom operates outside the classroom. Some projects may present opportunities for collaboration between faculty teaching clinical and classroom courses. ACRE also may be used to provide opportunities for students to assist faculty with pro bono representation of community groups or clients. The ACRE proposal must be approved by the faculty member teaching the classroom course to which the experiential learning opportunity relates, and accepted by the ACRE Administrator. The project must be described at the time of registration on a form approved by the ACRE Administrator (ACRE Proposal Form). Credits are awarded commensurate with hours worked (45 per credit hour) unless a different basis is established beforehand by the supervising faculty member and accepted by the ACRE Administrator. Three credits will only be available in the summer term. Non-graded (S/F) credit is awarded by the supervising faculty member upon satisfactory completion of assigned project.
Advanced Field Research (AFR) (1-3 cr.) D603 - Elective - Students work outside the classroom under the supervision of a full-time faculty member to conduct factual investigations, interviews, and/or legal research aimed at 1) identifying or advancing potential solutions to a legal or public policy problem or 2) examining the relevance of legal doctrine to a legal or public policy problem. The course emphasizes the deployment of doctrinal learning through experiential projects in the same way that many public interest lawyers respond to policy problems through their work. Projects may include the development of policy papers, draft legislation or regulations, comments on proposed rules, or the production of seminars, workshops, and symposia that convene relevant decision-makers and stakeholders. The project must be described at the time of registration on a form approved by the AFR Administrator (AFR Proposal Form).
P: Prior approval of supervising faculty member; completion of registration form (available from Registrar).
Experiential and Writing: Depending on the nature of the project and outcomes, this course may be used to fulfill the Law School's experiential and/or writing requirements. Supervising faculty members will make a preliminary assessment regarding a project's potential at the time of registration. A final determination will be made upon project completion and must be confirmed by faculty certification that the requirement(s) have been met.
Advanced Research in Health Law (2 cr.) D/N 662 - Elective - provides a vehicle for students to conduct research, prepare a major paper and present a talk on a health law topic in order to complete their advanced writing requirement and/or the required major research paper for the concentration in health law.
Advanced Sales (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 616 - Elective - builds upon first-year coverage of the formation, operation, and enforcement of contracts for the sale or lease of goods, with an emphasis on Articles 2 and 2A of the Uniform Commercial Code (U.C.C.). Topics may include documents of title (bills of lading and warehouse receipts) under Article 7 of the U.C.C. and letters of credit under Article 5.
Advanced Torts (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 822 - Elective - A selection of topics from the following areas of harm to dignitary and relational interests: interference with reputation, interference with business relationships, interference with political relationships, interference with family relationships, interference with right to privacy.
Agricultural Law and the Environment (2 cr.) D/N 659 - Elective - A key challenge for the agriculture sector is feeding a growing global population (9.6 billion by 2050) while at the same time reducing environmental impacts and preserving natural resources for future generations. Coupled with the impacts of climate change, international trade, technology, and interest in food processing and production, this is not only one of the most complex areas of law and policy, but also one of the fastest-growing. This course will examine both the impact of agricultural policy on the environment and the influence of environmental law on food and agriculture. Students will examine key federal and state laws and regulations. They will also study the institutions that implement agricultural, environmental, and natural resources policies. Students will explore the scientific context and public policy framework within which these legal standards are designed and implemented.
This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Alternative Dispute Resolution (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 844 - Simulation - explores the theories and processes of dispute resolution outside the traditional framework of state or federal court litigation. Particular emphasis will be placed on negotiation, mediation, and arbitration. Additional topics may include "mixed-alternative" processes (e.g., court-annexed arbitration, mini-trials, and private judging).
Animals and the Law (2 cr.) D/N 640 - Elective - explores the historical and evolving legal status of non-human animals. Students will examine cases, arising in a variety of contexts, in which the resolution of the dispute depends upon policy decisions about the nature of non-human animals.
Antisemitism and the Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 700 - Elective - This course explores the legal system’s dual role in subordinating Jews and protecting them. It covers anti-Jewish oppression from the Spanish Inquisition to Nazi Germany, and remedial measures such as anti-discrimination law, hate crimes legislation, and hate speech laws. It connects these topics to intersectionality and other forms of bias and discrimination. It is an introductory course and no prior knowledge of antisemitism or Jewish subjects is necessary.
Antitrust Law (3 cr.) D/N 751 - Elective - covers the law regulating private economic power and maintaining competition under the Sherman Antitrust Act and Clayton Antitrust Act; course content emphasizes monopolization, restraints of trade, refusals to deal, and mergers.
Art and Museum Law (2 cr.) D/N 896 - Elective - covers the law, people and institutions which constitute the world of the visual arts, including artists, museums, collectors, dealers, publishers and auctioneers. The course will also cover non-legal material geared to shaping practices of art market participants, such as codes and guidelines adopted by art-museum associations, as well as some relevant literature from other academic disciplines. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Aviation Law (3 cr.) D/N 779 - Elective - explores the sources of aviation law and the application of legal principles to aircraft acquisition, operation and taxation, pilot and aircraft mechanic certification, Federal Aviation Regulation and enforcement procedures, airline and airport legal issues, and aviation tort litigation. The course normally provides an opportunity for students to interact with Indianapolis aviation practitioners, who may serve as guest lecturers.
Bankruptcy Law (3 cr.) D/N 619 - Elective - examines the rights and duties of financially distressed debtors and their creditors under the Bankruptcy Code and related state laws. Topics include fraudulent transfers, property exemptions, the automatic stay, the powers of a bankruptcy trustee, relative priorities among secured and unsecured creditors, liquidation vs. debtor rehabilitation, and the social and economic implications of debt forgiveness.
Behavioral Analysis (2 cr.) D/N 700 - Elective - This course will introduce students to a behavioral approach to legal analysis that seeks to understand and interpret the efficacy of the law based on understanding relevant patterns of human judgment and behavior. We will review the ways that the scientific study of human judgment, behavior, and decision making can inform analysis of legal rules and institutions.
Bioethics and Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 838 - Elective - examines how the law in bioethics is shaped by the interplay of ethical principles, medical considerations, and social forces. Topics that will be covered include: the refusal of life-sustaining treatment, physician-assisted suicide, organ transplantation, abortion, the balance between individual liberty and protection of the public health, access to health care, and rationing of health care. An important theme of the course will be to consider the extent to which individuals have--and should have--control over medical decision making. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Civil Rights (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 872 - Elective - explores selected issues relating to civil rights and liberties with an emphasis on Section 1983 and related statutes. P: Constitutional Law (DN620).
Clean Air Law (2 cr.) D/N 683 - Elective - The course will examine in depth the structure and function of federal law regulating air emissions that harm human health and the environment. The course will emphasize the history of air regulation including common law responses to industrial air pollution. It will review the advent of the Clean Air Act as a statutory framework and examine selected regulatory programs under the Act. Students will also review current controversies and areas of regulatory activity, such as the effort to regulate Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, which contribute to global climate change. Environmental Law or Administrative Law is strongly recommended.
Climate Change Law and Policy (2 cr.) D/N 700 - Elective - Global climate change is an urgent issue that requires engagement of the worldwide community at all levels. Lawyers play a critical role in societys response to climate change through participation in legislation, the administrative law arena and litigation. Lawyers are also able to contribute to policy discussions as society considers legal options for mitigation and adaptation. This course will examine the legal responses to global climate change, including international treaties, U.S. federal government policy and regulatory responses, state and local programs for mitigation and adaptation, and common law responses. The course will delve into policy issues inherent in these legal responses and provide an overview of climate change science. Environmental Law or Administrative Law is strongly recommended. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Collaborative Solutions for Communities in Crisis: An Introduction to Problem-Solving Courts (1 cr.) D/N 700 - Elective - Problem-solving courts utilize judicial power to convene stakeholders and resolve crises collaboratively. This 7-week course explores the history of problem-solving courts. Students will learn about historical episodes which gave birth to the drug court movement, early successes of that movement, and expansion of problem-solving courts to address other crises. Students will also learn about problem-solving courts in Indiana. They will become familiar with the legal framework within which problem-solving courts are created and operate. They will also learn how the opioid epidemic and the 2014 revision of Indiana's criminal code have elevated the role of problem-solving courts in Indiana's legal culture. Finally, they will examine recent societal problems, caused by COVID-19 and systemic racism, to understand how expanded use of problem-solving courts can ensure continuity of essential government functions.
Comparative and International Competition Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 742 - Elective - After introducing the economic rationale for antitrust or competition law and enforcement, the course analyzes the rules and their interpretation in the U.S. and E.U. with regard to the three major pillars of antitrust law: cartels/collusion, abuse of dominant position/monopolization, and merger control. Some discussion of the laws of other countries will be added for illustrative purposes or in response to student interest. P: No prerequisites. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Comparative Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 821 - Elective - focuses on select features of civil and common law systems. It provides an overview of the history, legal structures, and legal reasoning of several systems, including countries in North America, South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia, with comparisons to legal institutions and cultures of the United Kingdom and the United States. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Constitutional Law (4 cr.) D/N 620 - Required (Basic) - introduces students to the U.S. Constitution. Principal aspects of judicial review, separation of powers, federalism, equality, and fundamental rights will be considered. Part-time evening division students must enroll during their second year. Full-time day division students must enroll during their first year.
Consumer Law (2 cr.) D/N 799 - Elective - addresses consumer rights and remedies under common law and under federal and state statutes, with particular emphasis on the federal Truth-In-Lending Act and Uniform Consumer Credit Code. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Contracts and Sales (4 cr.) D/N 512 - Required (Basic) - introduces students to exchange relationships in contemporary American society, with some emphasis on classic contract doctrine and introduction to the Uniform Commercial Code.
Copyright Law (3 cr.) D/N 626 - Elective - considers the principles of copyright law, with attention to its historical development and future adaptability to technological developments and new circumstances, foundations for securing copyright privileges and allowing fair use of existing works, and comparisons to other legal protections of intellectual property.
Corporate Compliance Overview (3 cr.) D/N 657 - Elective - This introductory overview course emphasizes the areas of corporate and regulatory law that impose requirements on corporations including health care provider organizations as well as pharmaceutical and medical device companies. The course emphasizes the importance of corporate compliance for these organizations, and gives and overview of relevant regulatory authorities and their underlying theories and rationales. This course examines the pertinent government regulations, guidance documents and enforcement initiatives forming the framework for corporate compliance. The course will focus on the process of compliance which should be established internally irrespective of the regulatory authority involved. The course will also examine on the various requirements of financial disclosures and conflict of interest in the health care arena.
Corporate Reorganization and Bankruptcy (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 846 - Elective - considers various means of reorganization through out-of-court trust agreements, extensions, compositions, and Chapter 11 reorganizations. There is a major focus on Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code and concepts of the filing requirements, cash collateral, adequate protection, disclosure statement, plan, confirmation, and consummation. The course also includes a brief overview of Chapters 7, 12, and 13 of the code. P: The 2 credit version requires Bankruptcy Law (DN619), or permission of instructor. The 3 credit version has no prerequisites.
Counter-terrorism and Intelligence (3 cr.) D/N 910 - Elective - course will explore a range of legal and policy questions in U.S. law related to the prevention of terrorism. Topics include intelligence-gathering, investigations, and the prosecution of suspects in U.S. courts, including controversies surrounding the use of informants, material support laws, racial and religious profiling, electronic surveillance, terrorist watchlists, and terrorism trials. This final component will address access to and protection of national security information, including the classification system, public access to such information by statute and other means, "leaks", and censorship.
Criminal Law (3 cr.) D/N 533 - Required (Basic) - introduces students to basic principles underlying the substantive law of crimes, with special focus on definition of specific offenses and defenses.
Criminal Procedure: Adjudication (3 cr.) D/N 704 - Elective - covers the criminal trial process and post-trial proceedings, including pretrial motions, discovery, guilty pleas, jury selection, trials, sentencing, appeals, and post-conviction relief procedures. Criminal Procedure: Investigation (DN702) is not a prerequisite for Criminal Procedure: Adjudication.
Criminal Procedure: Investigation (3 cr.) D/N 702 - Required (HR) - covers the pretrial criminal process from arrest to charging decision, with emphasis on constitutional criminal procedure, criminal investigation, and criminal evidence. Arrests, searches and seizures, interrogations and confessions, lineups and identification evidence, preliminary hearings, grand jury proceedings, and indictments and informations are considered.
Criminal Sentencing (2 cr.) D/N 741 - Elective - focuses on the sentencing phase of the criminal justice process and covers constitutional principles, statutes, and rules of procedure governing criminal sentencing, particularly those applicable in federal courtand judicial opinions and legal advocacy regarding those principles, statutes, and rules. We will discuss and debate issues arising from those principles, statutes, and rules and their applicability in the real world, and will have multiple opportunities to sharpen advocacy skills, both written and oral.
Data Security and Privacy Law (2 cr.) D/N 909 - Simulation - This simulation course provides a fundamental understanding of the various different laws and practices related to data privacy and the essential factors to consider when implementing preventative procedures. Privacy is an area of law that has recently developed as a response to the growing challenges for the protection of privacy. Data privacy law applies to a vast range of everyday activities and can be extremely complex. As new technologies continue to emerge, data privacy law will continue to grow and more innovative prevention methods will be needed to avoid privacy intrusions. Tort law, federal and state constitutional law, federal and state statutory law, evidentiary privileges, property law, contract law, and criminal law all form the expansive boundaries encompassed in data privacy law.
Directed Reading (2 credits maximum, no more than 1 credit per semester) D/N 676 - Elective - Directed reading is an independent project in which a student reads a collection of materials in an area of interest, in consultation with a supervising faculty member. The student and supervising faculty member must have at least three one-hour meetings during the semester and the student must produce a short (at least 2,000-word) paper. P: Prior approval of supervising full-time faculty member and Vice Dean; submission of a proposal for Vice Dean approval prior to the first day of the semester; available only to JD students who have completed at least 55 hours of credit or to LLM/MJ students. A student may apply a total of 2 credits of directed reading credit, but no more than 1 credit per semester, toward their requisite course work for the degree. The course is graded pass/fail. The form for applying to a Vice Dean for a Directed Reading approval is available here: https://mckinneylaw.iu.edu/students/_docs/DirectedReading.docx
Disability Law (2 cr.) D/N 912 - Elective - Introduces students to the history and modern analytical approach to laws, regulations, and cases impacting people with disabilities. Topics include the historical treatment of people with disabilities (including institutionalization and eugenics), public and private accommodations, discrimination in housing and employment, special education, institutionalization, disability interaction with the justice system, health care, abuse, neglect and exploitation, guardianship, and public entitlements. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Discrimination in Employment (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 653 - Elective - considers federal and state statutes and regulations relating to discrimination on the basis of race, sex, and other factors with respect to terms and conditions of employment by either employers or unions.
Domestic Violence and the Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 609 - Elective - examines legal responses to domestic violence in many areas of law, including civil, criminal, state and federal law. A research paper, in lieu of an examination, may be required.
Education Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 856 - Elective - This course examines the application of discrete doctrines from constitutional law, federal statutory law, and employment law to the legal problems facing American schools. Students will explore the ways in which the objectives of these discrete legal doctrines either promote or interfere with educational policies. Substantive areas of concentration include employment of teachers, student expression, student Fourth Amendment rights, Title IX, and equal educational opportunities. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Elder Law (2 cr.) D/N 720 - Elective - Study of legal issues and programs particularly affecting elderly persons: topics selected from such areas as nursing home law; mental health, guardianship, and civil commitment; age discrimination; Social Security and other income assistance programs; Medicare, Medicaid, National Health Insurance, health and drug issues; consumer protection; and housing problems of the elderly. Elder Law
Election Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 601 - Elective - introduces students to legal issues related to the very core of democracy - the right to vote. The course will touch upon a number of timely issues including: one person, one vote; the role of race and partisanship in redistricting; campaign finance; and "ballot access" issues such as voter ID, felon disfranchisement, and the recently enacted Help America Vote Act.
Employment Law (3 cr.) D/N 672 - Elective - is a study of the historical development of employment law from the early nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. Topics include establishing employment and its terms; employers' obligation to employees; termination of the employee relationship; protecting employees' reputations, privacy, and dignity; and protecting employees' physical integrity through the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
Entertainment Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 731 - Elective - examines intellectual property law, contract law and constitutional law as these doctrinal areas apply to major issues in the fields of music, publishing and the film and television industries. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Environmental and Toxic Tort Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 611 - Elective - covers tort actions used to provide redress for injury caused by toxic substances and dangerous environmental conditions. Topics may include trespass, nuisance, strict liability for abnormally dangerous activities, product liability, federal preemption, and special problems in causation. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Environmental Justice (3 cr.) D/N 681 - Elective - represents a critical issue in domestic and international environmental policy and law. Students will examine historical and contemporary “environmental justice” issues raised by communities and the legal avenues available to address those claims. They will gain an appreciation of the competing societal interests at stake in environmental decision-making and the relationship of the civil rights movement in United States history to the birth of the environmental justice movement. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Environmental Law (3 or 4 cr.) D/N 891 - Elective - introduces students to many of the major concepts and statutes in federal environmental law. Laws covered may include the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, CERCLA/Superfund, and the Solid Waste Disposal Act/RCRA. Additional topics may include cost-benefit analysis, risk assessment, ecosystem services and valuing the environment, and statutory interpretation.
ERISA Retirement Plans: Formation and Structure (2 cr.) D/N 656 - Elective - Employee benefits are critical in shaping employer people strategies and offer key differentiation between competitors and industries. They also promote well-being for millions of people throughout the United States and beyond, but involve significant financial, regulatory, and other complexities and risks. In this course, you will learn about the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA"), including its Indiana roots, regulatory framework, litigation and audit risks and compliance requirements in offering employee benefits and how employee benefits shape the employer/employee value proposition.
Estate & Gift Taxation (2 cr.) D/N 725 - Elective - examines Federal Estate, Gift and Generation-Skipping Taxes with a brief introduction to Estate and Trust Income Taxes.
European Union Law (3 cr.) D/N 918 - Elective - European Union Law provides introduction to the legal system created by the EU, its 27 Member States, from the founding treaties and principles, such as supremacy and direct effect of EU Law in the Member States, to the specifics of trading in & with the internal market of the EU.
Family Law (3 cr.) D/N 610 - Required (HR) - addresses state, federal, and constitutional regulation of family relationships, premarital agreements, and domestic partnerships, marriage, and divorce. It explores common dissolution issues such as property division, child and spousal support, child custody and visitation, and modification and enforcement orders. Other topics may include domestic violence, non-marital family rights, incest, polygamy, family law courts, and jurisdiction
First Amendment (3 or 4 cr.) D/N 622 - Required (HR) - provides an in-depth study of the limitations the First Amendment places upon the power of government to regulate speech, the press, and religion. P: Constitutional Law (DN620). This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Food and Drug Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 888 - Elective - surveys statutes and regulations dealing with the production, distribution, and sale of food, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices. The course focuses primarily on substantive and procedural requirements of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Genocide & the Law (2 cr.) D/N 700 - Elective - The course examines genocide, transitional justice processes, and the threat of genocide globally, from both legal and practical perspectives. The course begins with the historical origin of the concept of genocide and its development as a crime in the international legal system. Likewise, the course will analyze the current concept of genocide incorporated in the Genocide Convention and in the Rome Statute, its material and mental elements, and the challenges to prove the crime in a court of law. Finally, the course will cover leading national and international jurisprudence regarding the crime of genocide from a comparative perspective, and past and current case studies.
Health and Human Rights (2 cr.) D/N 916 - Elective - Health is a fundamental human right, and a necessary foundation for the exercise of almost every other human right. Yet the parameters of the right to health are still being defined, and enforcing a right to health is an elusive goal for billions of people across the globe, including many people in our own communities. This course aims to help students understand the evolving nature of a right to health, along with the many challenges posed by efforts to make that right a practical reality. This course may also be taught as a seminar. Students may use the course's final paper as an opportunity to satisfy the Advanced Research and Writing Requirement.
Health Care Business and Revenue Systems (2 cr.) D/N 700 - Elective - The healthcare industry is experiencing unprecedented growth and change. Hospitals have been at the forefront of this change dealing with a demanding regulatory environment which impacts everything from patient care to reimbursement. Understanding the competing interests of healthcare providers, government organizations, and health insurance companies is vital for individuals wishing to work in the healthcare industry. This course will examine a typical hospital’s revenue cycle and identify both legal and business issues faced by legal professionals working in this field.
Health Care Fraud and Abuse Regulation (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 600 - Elective - This course examines legal issues relevant to healthcare providers that involve health care fraud and abuse regulation. Health care fraud is an intentional attempt to collect money for medical services wrongly and abuse pertains to actions which are inconsistent with acceptable business and medical practices. The course will focus on fraud and abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid programs and the four major statutes containing federal fraud and abuse prohibitions. Specific statutes studied include the Anti-Kickback Statute, the Stark law and regulations, the False Claims Act and the Civil Monetary Penalty Act.
Health Care Quality and Safety (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 791 - Elective - This is an advanced health law course that explores the legal issues that arise between and among patients, health care providers and regulators with regard to the quality and safety of health care. Quality is one of the major themes in the study of health care law and policy, in particular as it is frequently in tension with cost and access considerations. This course focuses on both private and public law responses to quality and safety issues, examines the impact of common law liability models on changing provider behavior, federal and state regulatory agencies and their quality and safety research, and process and technology- driven reforms. While not a prerequisite, it is assumed that most students will have taken the health law survey course, Introduction to Health Care Law and Policy.
Health Information Technology and Privacy (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 679 - Elective - explores the legal issues that arise between and among patients, health care providers and regulators with regard to the use of various information technologies (including telemedicine, electronic medical records decision support systems, personal health records and wellness or diagnostic applications running on smartphones). Implementation of these technologies frequently is in response to health law or policy initiatives. In such cases the existence or interpretation of legal structures can provide incentives or disincentives to implementation or efficient use of technologies. Equally health information technologies that are not the products of formal initiatives can challenge or disrupt existing legal relationships or standards. Two of the areas most implicated are privacy and security. As a result approximately one-third of the course will deal specifically with this topic, examining state common law and statutory provisions in addition to the federal HIPAA rules and Breach Notification regulation. P: While not a prerequisite it is assumed that most students will have taken the health law survey course (Introduction to Health Care Law & Policy) and one or more advanced health law courses.
Higher Education Law (2 cr.) D/N 678 - Elective - Designed to build on a law student's substantive knowledge about legal issues facing institutions of higher education, this course focusses on university governance, the student/institution relationship, and the legal dynamics among and between institutions of higher education and their respective host communities. This course requires substantial reading and analysis of both the course text and court decisions. Through classroom discussions, collaborative exercises, and occasional assignments (on-line and in the classroom), a student in this class will gain a better understanding of how the law shapes our nation's institutions of higher education.
Homelessness Law & Policy (2 cr.) D/N 700 - Elective - This seminar examines the growth of modern homelessness with a focus on legal and policy interventions that have been implemented across the U.S.. Students will become familiar with the constitutional rights of the unhoused as determined by the Supreme Court. We will study the prevalence of tent encampments across the U.S., the availability of homeless shelters, as well as the effectiveness of the “Housing first model,” which connects unhoused individuals to housing without preconditions. Readings will include court cases, statutes, media articles, and research reports, supplemented by video documentaries. A variety of guest speakers will further add to our discussions.
Housing Discrimination and Segregation (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 743 - Elective - covers legal and other aspects of discrimination and segregation in all sectors of the housing industry (sales, rentals, financing, zoning, land use, and insurance). The course includes the study of public and private housing, with reference to federal and state constitutional and statutory law.
Housing, Development and the Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 760 - Elective - This course will study housing problems in the United States and government programs that purport to address them. Participants will consider a variety of issues, including affordability; physical conditions (including overcrowding); racial, ethnic, and economic segregation; insecurity of tenure (including foreclosure and other forms of displacement); and homelessness. The history and nature of federal, state, and local government interventions will be reviewed and assessed. The discussions will involve both housing policy and issues raised in courses in administrative law, constitutional law, legislative interpretation, and federal courts, though none of these is a prerequisite to this course. Some foreign and international legal standards, programs, and cases will be presented as well.
Immigration Law and Procedure (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 709 - Elective - covers citizenship, acquisition, and maintenance of major immigrant and nonimmigrant classifications, along with admission into and exclusion or deportation from the United States. Topics addressed include the structure and procedures of the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the Board of Immigration Appeals.
Income Taxation of Corporations and Pass-Through Entities (2 cr.) D/N 869 - Elective - examines the basic federal and state income tax and other tax laws which are applicable to corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies and to the owners of such entities. Some of the specific topics which are covered include: organization; operation; elections; redemptions of owners interests; non-liquidating and liquidating distributions; reorganizations; and other major transactions of such entities. Statutory and policy interpretation is emphasized, with extensive use of problems. P: Income Taxation (DN648) or permission of instructor. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Income Taxation of Individuals, Fiduciaries and Business Associations (4 cr.) D/N 648 - Elective - addresses basic problems of income taxation of individuals, trusts, estates, partnerships, and corporations. Topics covered include gross income, deductions, tax computations, rates, credits, accounting methods, accounting periods, as well as practice before the United States Department of the Treasury, federal courts, and tax court. The course emphasizes statutory and policy interpretation, using problems extensively. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Indiana Constitutional Law (2 cr.) D/N 757 - Required (HR) - offers a survey of the Indiana Constitution, including its history and text, historical and modern analytical approaches applied in landmark cases, and consideration and appreciation of its differences with the United States Constitution. P: Constitutional Law (DN620).
Information Privacy Law (3) D/N 913 - Elective - will provide an understanding of privacy law as it relates to torts, contracts, constitutional, and statutory law. Specific topics will include both domestic and international developments in data privacy, security, the impact of the Global Data Protection Regulation, and emerging regulations establishing fair information practices for the Internet and global ecommerce. The course will touch on emerging technologies, such as the Internet of Things, and discuss their impact on society and privacy. The course is taught synchronously online during the scheduled hours and may be accessed from any location. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Insurance Law (2 cr.) D/N 851 - Elective - covers contract, indemnity, persons and interests protected, risks transferred, disposition of claims, liability claims, and defense and settlement.
Intellectual Property Law (3 or 4 cr.) D/N 862 - Elective - surveys the legal principles and management of intellectual property, including trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and patents. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Intellectual Property Taxation (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 906 - Elective - course explores the U.S. tax consequences of creating, acquiring, exploiting, and transferring various IP assets (including patents, trade secrets, know how, copyrights, trademarks, and computer software) in both domestic and international transactions. The course also explores popular tax-planning strategies used in connection with IP (e.g., the use of domestic and foreign IP holding subsidiaries), and raises tax policy questions. Valuation of IP, the use of IP by non-profit organizations, and special business and estate planning considerations involving IP are also addressed
Intellectual Property Transactions & Licensing (2 cr.) D/N 627 - Elective - facilitates an appreciation of how intellectual property issues arise in the context of various transactions and explores the possible responses to those issues. Where applicable, this class will consider international aspects of IP issues.
International Business Transactions (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 783 - Elective - analyzes the most common issues related to international sales and other business transactions, in particular the choice of law, drafting of the main contract, methods of financing problems related to shipping, passing of property and risk, insurance, as well as related issues, such as licensing and technology transfer. May be taught as a short course on a compressed schedule (students should check the schedule online before enrolling).
International Commercial Arbitration (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 784 - Elective - provides a thorough introduction to this modern method of choice for disputes arising from international commercial transactions, including the specifics of the arbitration agreement, selection of arbitrators, presentation of cases, and the effect, limits, and enforcement of arbitration awards.
International Criminal Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 713 - Elective - covers the application of domestic and international law to questions of jurisdiction over international criminal activities, granting of amnesty to persons responsible for international crimes, international cooperation in criminal matters, substantive international law as contained in multilateral treaties concerning war crimes and terrorism, and the permanent International Criminal Court.
International Environmental Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 754 - Elective - examines how international law and legal institutions are responding to transboundary and global environmental challenges. Students review prominent issues such as climate change, water scarcity, deforestation, biodiversity loss, ozone depletion, mineral extraction, and marine resource threats, in the context of international development and transboundary trade. Students then analyze selected issues in depth, looking at the science and law of specific environmental challenges as well as the political, economic, and cultural context within which solutions must be formulated.
International Human Rights Law (3 cr.) D/N 813 - Elective - considers selected problems in international human rights law, including problems related to U.S. law and practice. The course focuses on the growing role of human rights in international relations, emphasizing the United Nations system for the promotion and protection of human rights as well as the regional systems in Africa, the Americas, and Europe.
International Intellectual Property Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 634 - Elective - examines the international context of the development of copyright, patent, and trademark law, with an emphasis on multinational treaties, developments in the European Union and other jurisdictions, and enforcement of international claims. P: completion of any other law school course on intellectual property law or permission of the instructor.
International Investment Law (3 cr.) D/N 900 - Elective - International Investment Law grew out of efforts dating back hundreds of years at protecting investors from one country who make substantial investments in another. Rather than putting the investors at the mercy of the host country government and any remedies against expropriation or regulatory interventions that the local courts in the host country may or may not provide, international investment law provides international standards for fair and equitable treatment and for compensation in case of interference. This includes international arbitration procedures and other effective remedies. More recently, the system started to evolve into a broader regulatory regime for medium- and long-term commercial activity by individuals from one country in another. The course complements International Business Transactions where the focus is on one-off or short term trading activities.
International Law (3 cr.) D/N 818 - Elective - introduces basic concepts and principles such as sources of public international law, the law of treaties and international agreements, states and recognition, state liability and human rights, and jurisdiction and immunities from jurisdiction. The course also covers act of state doctrine, law of the sea, and resolution of transnational disputes through national and international courts, arbitration tribunals, the United Nations, and diplomatic exchanges. Course topics include terrorism and hostage-taking, U.S. executive-legislative conflict in the conduct of foreign relations, suits by and against foreign states, worldwide improvement of civil and political rights, extraction of seabed resources, and prohibition of the use of force in international relations. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
International Tax (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 674 - Elective - This course introduces the fundamental U.S. income tax issues arising when (1) U.S. persons or entities earn income outside of the U.S. or (2) foreign persons or entities earn income inside the U.S. Depending upon the number of credit hours, specific topics may include the rules for classifying income as U.S. or foreign-source income, transfer pricing, income deferral and controlled corporations, double taxation and the foreign tax credit, foreign currency transactions, and the role of tax treaties. Although the course will not study non-U.S. tax systems in detail, it will highlight significant differences between the U.S. approach to cross-border transactions and those adopted by other taxing authorities. P: Income Taxation (DN 648) or permission of instructor.
International Trade Law (2 cr.) D/N 857 - Elective - addresses theory and practice of international business law issues likely to be encountered by attorneys representing clients engaged in international operations. Topics include foreign investment by U.S. companies, foreign investment in the U.S., international joint ventures, licenses, exporting of goods, international marketing, U.S. trade controls, customs, antidumping, and international antitrust.
Internet Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 732 - Elective - examines a wide variety of legal and policy issues raised by the internet, involving many areas of law. The questions addressed may include issues of copyright, trademark, defamation, the Communications Decency Act, cybercrime, contracts, privacy and personal jurisdiction.
Introduction to Health Care Law and Policy (3 cr.) D/N 785 - Elective - This introductory health law course is designed to introduce students to the legal issues that arise between and among patients and health care providers and surveys current federal and state regulatory schemes of health care law and policy, quality, access and cost containment. Topics surveyed will include accreditation and licensure, individual and institutional liability, the legal and ethical properties of the hospital/medical staff relationships, the regulation of health insurers, funding mechanisms such as Medicare/Medicaid, federal self-referral and "anti-kickback" prohibitions, and other topics.
Jurisprudence (2 cr.) D/N 849 - Elective - introduces American or world legal theories and movements. The focus is on philosophical aspects of legal arguments and development of basic insights into law and legal processes. This course may, at the option of the instructor, be offered as a seminar.
Juvenile Justice (2 cr.) D/N 842 - Elective - explores juvenile delinquency and status offenses from their investigation to resolution, including the constitutional rights of juveniles under police scrutiny, the decision to prosecute and alternatives to prosecution, the right to and role of counsel, waiver to adult court, adjudicatory and disposition hearings, and the array of rehabilitative and punitive sanctions. The course also considers the historical and philosophical evolution of the juvenile justice system and courts.
Labor Arbitration/Collective Bargaining (3 cr.) D/N 703 - Elective - includes court enforcement of collective bargaining agreements under Section 301 of the Labor Management Relations Act; and private enforcement through arbitration, including coverage of arbitration substance and procedure. Labor Law (DN651) would be helpful to a student taking this course.
Labor Law (4 cr.) D/N 651 - Elective - covers the National Labor Relations Act as administered by the National Labor Relations Board, including employer and union unfair labor practice provisions and board practice under the act in conducting elections to determine a union's representative status.
Land Use (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 740 - Elective - covers theoretical and practical problems of private and public controls on use, development, and distribution of land, nuisance, planning and subdivision controls, zoning, building codes, and environmental and aesthetic regulations.
Law and Poverty (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 875 - Elective - addresses law and policy pertaining to federal and state social welfare systems designed to meet basic needs of the poor, such as cash assistance, disability insurance, housing, and health care. The course emphasizes legal aspects of social problems of the poor, such as discrimination on the basis of race, sex, and handicap.
Law and Public Health (2 cr.) D/N 761 - Elective - covers the law governing the practice of public health by state, local, and federal agencies, as well as health care professionals and institutions. Topics addressed include legal mandates on public health agencies, physicians, and other health practitioners regarding testing, reporting, and contact tracing with respect to specific diseases, as well as laws for the imposition of quarantine, civil commitment, and mandatory treatment. Also covered are public health aspects of the regulation of health care institutions, legal issues associated with risk assessment and cost benefit analysis, along with the environment.
Law and Social Change: The Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter (3 or 4 cr.) D/N 867 - Elective - examines the long Civil Rights Movement of the twentieth century through its manifestations today in the Movement for Black Lives and related activities, focusing on the roles of lawyers and the law and their relationships to direct action and other forms of advocacy in advancing and impeding social change. Topics include: marches on Washington; the Journey to Reconciliation and the Freedom Rides; school desegregation (Little Rock, New Orleans, Ole Miss); the murders of Emmett Till and many others; the Montgomery Bus Boycott; student sit-ins; Freedom Summer; Black Nationalism and the Black Power Movement; and the Selma-to-Montgomery March. The course is permeated with consideration of the conflicts between violence and nonviolence and among law, politics, and morality. Each student will write a weekly reflection and a book review.
Law of Medical Malpractice (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 824 - Elective - covers law relating to the practice of medicine and allied fields in contexts of organizing and regulating professions, theories of liability and defenses pertinent to claims of patients for injurious professional conduct, along with practice and procedure in professional malpractice claims.
Law of Nonprofit Organizations and Tax-Exempt Healthcare Organizations (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 843 - Elective - This course explores the legal issues related to nonprofit organizations with an emphasis upon charitable organizations. The first unit of the course considers issues of state law, including state nonprofit statutes, duties of officers and directors, and laws regulating charitable solititation. The second unit considers issues of federal law, examining how nonprofit organizations qualify for tax exemption under the Internal Revenue Code. This part examines what it means for an organization to be engaged in "charitable activities," and the political and unrelated business activities of tax-exempt organizations. The course also addresses current isues impacting nonprofits, such as nonprofits in cyberspace and recent charitable reforms. The course may be taught either as a regular course or as a seminar.
Law Practice Management (2 cr.) D/N 658 - Elective - This course provides students with a comprehensive overview of the information and resources necessary to establish a law practice. It is targeted toward students who are considering opening their own practice, either as solo practitioners or with others. Issues addressed include office space and equipment, technologies used in law office management, client acquisition,insurance, fee structures and billing, budgeting, integrated practice management tools, and ethics and professionalism. The course is graded pass/fail. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Leadership and Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 833 - Elective - begins a discussion of the elusive, but important, subject of leadership, especially as it has been reflected in the lives of persons who have studied law. A recurring question will be: What combinations of intelligence, idealism, discipline, passion, integrity, steadfastness, wisdom, vision, good fortune, and other qualities or factors have caused some lawyers to have a remarkable impact on institutions, society or the law itself?
Legal Process for M.J. Students (4) D/N 836 - This course serves as an introduction to the law and legal education for students in the Master of Jurisprudence program. The course explores the development of and relationship between common and statutory law. The course also focuses on skills needed to address effectively the meaning of law: the careful reading and briefing of cases; the interpretation of statutes; the application of precedent and the synthesis of rules from a series of cases; and the ability to support a party’s position on debatable issues. Students will also learn how to prepare for and take law school examinations. In addition, this course includes a writing component, which introduces basic principles of effective legal analysis and communication, including how to structure a legal analysis and how to communicate that analysis to a legal reader. The course will also introduce students to core substantive law subjects which will provide the foundational knowledge necessary to make 3 well-informed decisions about future course selection. Students will also be provided with introductions to all of the first year required subjects.
Legislation (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 602 - Elective - addresses legislative process, with emphasis on lawyers' perspectives and functions, along with issues of representative theory, legislative organization and procedure, interaction of the legislature with other branches of government, and legislative research and drafting.
Life Sciences Compliance Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 693 - Elective - This course introduces students to the lifecycle of clinical trials, examining the pertinent regulations and compliance efforts required to move a new drug or device to market. The course focuses specifically on the lifecycle of a vaccine, especially in a global pandemic environment, using a real-world, case-study format that allows students to hear about and experience firsthand the day-to-day challenges of conducting clinical research in a regulated environment. Topics include practical aspects of clinical trial contracting, FDA regulations and approval, conflicts of interest, research with humans and animals, and research misconduct. The course will provide experience in drafting and negotiating clinical trial contract provisions, addressing publication rights, intellectual property ownership, indemnification, and confidentiality.
Mediation (2 cr.) D/N 876 - Elective - examines theories and procedures for resolution of disputes through mediation, including mediation concepts and trends, "win-win" options, lateral thinking, etc. This course does not satisfy the experiential requirement for graduation. While students may enroll in this course or in Mediation Practice (DN700), which is a simulation-based course, they may not receive credit for more than one of these courses. This course is graded pass/fail.
Mediation Practice (2 cr.) D/N 700 - Simulation - This course examines processes, procedures and practices for mediating two- and multi-party disputes in various legal and professional contexts. This simulation course includes many opportunities to engage in role-plays and other experiential learning activities and to develop communication, relationship building, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills and techniques in mediated settings. Students will also learn ethical considerations for mediating disputes and about future opportunities to develop as mediators in their chosen legal and professional fields. While students may enroll in this course or in Mediation (DN876), they may not receive credit for more than one of these courses. This course may be taught as a pass/fail course.
Mergers and Acquisitions (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 780 - Elective - studies the motives for acquisitions, acquisition structures and techniques, friendly and hostile acquisitions, takeover defenses, regulation of acquisitions under federal securities law, state anti-takeover statutes, and corporate acquisitions agreements. P: Closely Held Business Organizations (DN645) or Publicly Traded Corporations (DN646).
Military Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 830 - Elective - examines the law applicable to members of the armed forces, including the Uniform Code of Military justice. Additional topics may include such matters as free speech rights of military personnel, military policies regarding sexual orientation of service members, religious expression in the military, service member reemployment rights, and the service member Civil Relief Act.
National Security Law (3 cr.) D/N 889 - Elective - examines the constitutional division of powers over matters touching on foreign affairs, including the role of the President, Congress, the courts, and the several states. The course also examines the constitutional sources of authority over foreign relations and the constitutional and other legal mechanisms that limit the exercise of that authority, including separation of powers, federalism, the protection of individual rights, and the role of international law in constitutional foreign relations.
Natural Resources Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 717 - Elective - covers the law and policy of natural resources regulation, focusing on the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and laws concerning water and timber use and protection; energy-related resource issues other than oil and gas; and land-use planning issues.
Neuroscience and the Law (2 cr.) D/N 686 - Elective - focuses on aspects of neuroscience relevant to legal decision-making. Subjects addressed will include an overview of brain structure, relevance of brain to behavior, an exploration of medical and scientific tools used to better understand the brain, and applications of this knowledge to areas such as the adolescent brain, addictions, and psychopathy. Advances in neuroscience may well challenge traditional understandings of concepts such as culpability, propensity, and responsibility.
Oil and Gas Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 716 - Elective - examines the law associated with oil and gas as well as the rights and responsibilities of relevant parties throughout the production process, including the origin and production of oil, gas and minerals; the nature and protection of interests in oil and gas; the oil and gas lease and important provisions; covenants implied in oil and gas leases; title and conveyance problems (transfers by fee owners and lessors); and pooling and unitization agreements.
Partnership Tax (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 730 - Elective - covers federal income taxation of partnerships and limited liability companies. Topics include classification of entities as partnerships for tax purposes, formation and operation of partnerships and LLCs, transfers of members' interests, distributions to members, and death or retirement of a member. P: Income Taxation (DN648), or permission of instructor.
Patent Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 873 - Elective - covers the fundamentals of patent law, including what a patent is, what subject matter is eligible for patenting, what the requirements for patenting are, and the many policy issues that arise in this area as a result. The course also includes discussion of recent statutory changes, recent case law, and commentary on the patent system. This course requires no previous acquaintance with the patent system or any other area of intellectual property, and no background in technology or science is either required or assumed.
Patent Prosecution (2 cr.) D/N 643 - Elective - focuses on representing a client with patent matters before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Deals with all phases of the patent process, including soliciting full invention disclosure from the client, prior art searching and patentability opinions, preparing patent application and claims, responding to Examiner Office Actions, patent issuance process, and a variety of post-issuance matters.
Payment Systems (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 617 - Elective - This course (formerly called Commercial Paper) considers the creation and transfer of negotiable instruments, liability of parties thereon, bank-collection systems, electronic funds transfers, and payment by credit card; with an emphasis on Articles 3, 4, and 4A of the Uniform Commercial Code and applicable federal statutes and regulations. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Prison Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 737 - Elective - explores the history of and rationales for incarceration, the social and political contexts that shape the law of corrections, the rights of prisoners in the complex web of correctional institutions, the potential for treating and rehabilitating offenders, and special problems for lawyers who represent prisoners. P: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in Criminal Law (DN533).
Property (4 cr.) D/N 509 - Required (Basic) - introduces students to possession and ownership, estates in land, co-tenancies, landlord-tenant relationships, non-possessory interests in land, land purchase and sale transactions, and land title issues.
Psychiatry and the Law (2 cr.) D/N 874 - Elective - examines the often-troubled relationship between the legal system and people with mental illness. The goal of this course is to explore the areas where psychiatry intersects with court procedures and decisions in both criminal and civil proceedings. Landmark case decisions are used as the starting points for class discussions.
Publicly Traded Corporations (2 cr.) D/N 646 - Elective - covers the management and control of publicly held corporations, including proxy regulations, struggles for control, transactions in shares by insiders, shareholder litigation, and fundamental changes in corporate structure. Closely Held Business Organizations (DN645) is not a prerequisite for this course. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Race and the Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 685 - Elective - examines the response of the law to racial issues presented in a variety of contemporary legal contexts, including civil procedure, property, torts, contracts, criminal law and procedure, employment law and education law. Also examines international human rights law instruments applicable in the United States. Materials for the course include a mix of cases and scholarly commentary.
Real Estate Transfer, Finance, and Development (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 605 - Elective - introduces fundamentals of land transfer, finance, and development. Topics include the perfection and priority of mortgages and liens on real property, and the role of brokers, lawyers, and other participants in real estate transactions.
Regulation of Financial Institutions (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 700 - Elective - will examine the complex array of statutes, regulations, and regulatory agency interpretations impacting financial institutions and their directors and officers. The course will review the business of banking and the dual banking system as well as the sources of regulatory oversight with particular emphasis on the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act responding to the 2008 financial crisis. Ethical considerations unique to financial institutions will be discussed together with the Attorney Conduct Rule of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Fiduciary duties and the business judgment rule in the context of financial institutions will also be explored.
Representing the Government (2 cr.) D/N 781 - Elective - examines the role of government attorneys and compares the issues and challenges faced by them at all levels of state and federal government in both civil and criminal law. Particular focus will be given to state attorneys general, the common law and constitutional bases for their role as a government's attorney, and the obligations of government counsel in both their advisory and litigation capacities. State attorneys general have recently transformed their role into influencers of national policy through litigation on a wide range of issues. This course will examine and critique the traditional functions of government counsel, the challenges of representing modern governments, and the emerging role that attorneys general play in shaping national legal policy.
Secured Transactions (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 618 - Required (HR) - covers (1) creation, perfection, and enforcement of security interests in personal property under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code; and (2) Indiana debt collection, including garnishment, attachment, and bankruptcy exemptions. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Securities Regulation (3 cr.) D/N 738 - Elective - addresses state and federal laws governing the offering and distribution of securities to the public by corporate issuers and others, regulation of securities markets, and the rights and liabilities of purchasers and sellers of securities under such statutes. The course emphasizes statutes administered by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Seminar in American Legal History (2 cr.) D/N 850 - Seminar - At the option of the instructor, this class will provide a survey of American legal history, or as an alternative, will explore a selected American legal history period or subject. Topics might include, but are not limited to, criminal justice, family law, Indiana legal history, legal profession, and legal theory.
Seminar in Business and Estate Planning (2 cr.) D/N 854 - Seminar - This seminar provides an analysis of individuals' methods for disposing of wealth, using the laws of trusts, estates, future interests, and taxes. Topics include marital deductions, life insurance, powers of appointment, arrangements for minor or other incapacitated children, charitable gifts and devises, qualified retirement plans, non-qualified retirement plans, passive activities, disposing of stock in closely held corporations, estate freezes, and generation-skipping tax transfers. Generally, each student will be required to prepare an estate plan based on statements of facts distributed by the instructor. P: Income Taxation (DN648); Trusts and Estates (DN722); Estate Planning (DN725); or permission of instructor.
Seminar in Health Policy, Law and Bioethics (2 cr.) D/N 655 - Seminar - This is an advanced seminar designed to help students develop their ability to understand major issues facing the American health care system from an interdisciplinary perspective. Faculty and students will consider a wide-range of critical health law policy questions using both inter- and multi-disciplinary perspectives.
Seminar in Judicial Selection (2 cr.) D/N 744 - Seminar - This seminar explores the various methods for selecting judges throughout the United States, including lifetime appointments in the federal system, partisan and non-partisan elections in state courts, and the various iterations of merit selection. The course also addresses the interplay of selection and retention methods on judicial independence.
Seminar in Law and Religion (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 890 - Seminar - This seminar analyzes current issues at the intersection of law and religion, including topics such as civil disobedience, conscientious objection, Sunday Blue Laws, religion and education, tax exemption of church property, religion and family law, censorship, and religion and public morality.
Seminar in Law and Technology (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 778 - Seminar - This course explores many aspects of the complex interrelationships between law and technology. In addition to examining the law specifically applicable to computers and other technological developments, the seminar may focus on themes and trends, such as the causal relationship between technological evolution and change in the law. This seminar can focus on a wide variety of possible themes and topics depending upon the interest and background of the instructor and students.
Seminar in Public Utilities Regulation (2 cr.) D/N 858 - Seminar - Concepts of state and federal utility regulation are addressed in this seminar. It also considers current regulatory problems, such as restriction of entry, market requirements, mergers and market structures, and rate making practices and procedures.
Seminar in Selected Topics in Constitutional Law (2 cr.) D/N 840 - Seminar - Provides in-depth consideration of selected aspects of constitutional powers, structure, processes, or individual liberties.
Sex Discrimination (3 cr.) D/N 826 - Elective - explores areas in which discrimination, or differentiation in treatment, is based solely or primarily on sex, and examines the effect of constitutional provisions and federal and state statutes on such discrimination.
Sports Law: Individual, Amateur and Olympic Sports (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 727 - Elective - covers a range of doctrinal areas as they apply to non-league professional sports, international Olympic sports and intercollegiate sports. Interpretation and application of the rules and regulations of sports governing bodies are also examined.
State and Local Government Law (2 cr.) D/N 756 - Elective - is designed to build upon substantive knowledge about legal issues facing state and local governments. Topics emphasized include structural issues (creation and scope of local governments and the interrelations of federal, state, and local governments), powers and limitations of state and local governments, fundamental legal issues facing state and local governments (such as public finance and government liability), and the role of state and local governments in setting public policy (specifically, the class will address areas such as federalism and school finance). Through classroom participation, collaborative exercises, and occasional (short) writing assignments, a student in this class will gain a better understanding of the operation of state and local governments, how those governmental entities use their powers to respond to public obligations, and the legal dynamics between the public and private sectors.
State and Local Taxation (2 cr.) D/N 805 - Elective - examines principles of state and local taxation and of budgeting procedures. Taxes studied are inheritance taxes, estate taxes, sales taxes, use taxes, income taxes, personal property taxes, real property taxes, and excise taxes. Basic procedural requirements concerning taxpayer document filings, the audit process, and court procedures are also studied.
Supervised Research (1 to 4 cr.) D/N 661 - Elective - requires the student to write an in-depth and comprehensive research paper on a current legal problem. Generally, the finished paper should be 8,500 words inclusive of footnotes or endnotes for each hour of credit. The supervising faculty member is the final judge of both quality and length.
P: Permission of instructor, completed Enrollment Request Form.
Tax Policy (2 cr.) D/N 700 - Elective - This course will employ philosophy, economics, behavioral science, critical theory, and other systems of thought to consider the design of tax laws and systems in light of conflicting normative goals, varying conceptions of distributive justice, and real-world outcomes. We will cover income, sales, sin, estate, and digital transactions taxes in addition to many others. Students will write response papers to weekly reading, will engage in lively policy discussion and debate, and will work together with a small group of peers to lead one class session on the subject matter of their choice. No prior knowledge of tax law is required for this course.
The Right of Publicity (2 cr.) D/N 633 - Elective - covers various aspects of this IP doctrine including its historical evolution, the statutory and common law sources, and its relationship to other aspects of intellectual property, as well as litigation, licensing and business applications. Cases reviewed will include those focusing on personalities such as Rosa Parks, Outkast, Tom Cruise and Bette Midler; and on endorsement deals, celebrity branding and advertising campaigns.
Topics in Health Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 763 - Elective - examines specialized topics related to health law that are not addressed in depth by other courses. Using emerging issues in health care, public health, and environmental health law as modes of analysis, this course will introduce students to the theory, methodology, and evaluation of public policy development. Students will explore these issues via case studies and on-site learning opportunities related to issues such as the legalization of medical marijuana, syringe exchange programs, and drinking water quality. Students will also apply methods for evaluating law and policy to individual research topics via policy briefs or the option to prepare a longer paper to fulfill the J.D. Advanced Research and Writing requirement.
Torts (4 cr.) D/N 541 - Required (Basic) - introduces students to actions for intentional and unintentional interference with protectable interests. Strict liability and its extensions, alternatives to the torts compensation system, and the impact of insurance and legislation on the common law of torts are also considered.
Trademark Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 630 - Elective - provides students with a synthesis of the current and developing law in key areas of trademark and unfair competition law in the U.S. and abroad.
Transportation Law (2 cr.) D/N 911 - Elective - building on concepts learned in earlier courses (torts, agency, statutory interpretation), this course will introduce law students to fundamental legal issues affecting the nation’s transportation industry. Subjects addressed will include the regulatory history of transportation services in the United States, the legislative progression toward what is now a largely deregulated industry, and the national and international legal challenges affecting transportation providers’ daily operations. Although the course will focus largely upon the motor carrier segment of the industry, issues affecting air, water, and rail carriers will be addressed as well.
Trusts and Estates (3 or 4 cr.) D/N 722 - Required (HR) - surveys the law on family property settlement, including intestate succession, wills and will substitutes, intervivos and testamentary trusts, fiduciary administration, powers of appointment, and future interests. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
Water Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 882 - Elective - course examines international and national problems relating to the scarcity, allocation, management, and protection of water. Topics covered include riparian and prior appropriation doctrines, competing public and private interests, groundwater doctrines and management, federal control of water development and quality, and the allocation and conservation of transboundary and interstate waters. This course may be listed either synchronously or asynchronously online.
White Collar Crime (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 699 - Elective - course focuses on aspects of criminal law relating to nonviolent crime, typically committed by means of deception for financial gain under color of legitimate activity. Subjects addressed will include the bases of corporate and individual criminal liability, principles of federal prosecution, prosecutorial discretion, and the balance between the government's interests in investigating white collar crime and the rights of corporate and individual investigatory targets.
Women and the Law (2 or 3 cr.) D/N 680 - Elective - This course is an in-depth analysis of the ways that law and gender interact in American society. It explores the legal, social, and historical context of key cases in gender equality, and investigates the legal reasoning of the arguments that supported the Court's decisions, in addition to an analysis of those who opposed the Court's decision. Students examine the modern-day impact of some of the key cases that balanced the scales, and supported gender equality. Grades are based on class participation, students will be required to write short responses to some of the required reading and/or presentations, as well as a final exam.
Worker's Compensation (2 cr.) D/N 736 - Elective - provides an understanding of worker's compensation laws and the litigation process, from both a theoretical and practical view. The course will examine the interrelationship of worker's compensation, tort, contract, and family law. Topics of discussion will include insurance requirements, the determination of compensability, remedies, occupational diseases, statutes of limitation, statutory interpretation, and policy rationales.
World Trade Organization (WTO) Law (3 cr.) D/N 650 - Elective - begins with analysis of why nations trade and the effects of free trade vs. protectionism, typical import and export rules and procedures, and various forms of trade barriers. The main focus is on establishment of GATT and WTO rules and their impact on modern trade in goods and services. The course finishes with an outlook on twenty-first century hot spots in international trade, such as intellectual property rights, environmental protection, human rights and labor standards, and the perspectives of developing countries.
