Spring 2013
    Law No.: LAW7062
    Sched. No.: 113210026

Legislation
Section 1
X
Gilbert, Michael



Administrative Information:
During SIS enrollment, check on SIS for real-time enrollment numbers
Days, Times (Room):MW, 1000-1120 (SL298)
Credits:3Type:Lecture
Capacity:64 **This information is current as of 06/12/2013 06:17:57 AM**
Current Enrollment:63 **This information is current as of 06/12/2013 06:17:57 AM**
Syllabus: View Syllabus (requires LawWeb account)



Course Description:

Much of American law is codified in statutes and administrative regulations. Learning to parse and interpret these forms of law is comparable in importance and complexity to learning to read judicial opinions. This course will teach students these skills by reviewing the theory and practice of statutory interpretation. We will examine the lawmaking processes that produce statutes and regulations and discuss the analytical tools that courts use to interpret them, including the standard canons of construction. We will relate the practical discussions to important theoretical issues, such as the proper role of legislative history, the primacy of text, and the quandary produced when plain text yields absurd results. We will also consider specialized but important topics in statutory interpretation, such as how courts do – and how courts should – interpret ballot propositions drafted by interest groups and approved by voters.

COURSE REQUIREMENT: Examination