Legal Studies
Office of Interdisciplinary Degree Programs
203 Clemens Hall
North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260-4670
Phone: 716.645.2245
Fax: 716.645.3640
Web: cas.buffalo.edu/programs/idp/ugrad/
Lee Dryden
Director
School of Law
304 O Brian Hall
North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260
Phone: 716.645.2060
Fax: 716.645.6378
Web: www.law.buffalo.edu/site/index.html
About the Program
The Legal Studies concentration of the Social Sciences Interdisciplinary major examines the political, social and philosophical development of law and the legal process. The major has academic rather than vocational emphasis. For more information please see the Social Sciences Interdisciplinary Degree Programs.
Course Descriptions
JLS 130 American Jury Trials
Credits: 3
Semester:
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
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Analyzes the American jury trial by examining its various phases. Reveals the practical aspects of civil and criminal litigation. A major portion of the syllabus is devoted to pre- and post-trial strategies that may profoundly affect a case�s judicial disposition, and to understanding how and why the legal system resolves a surprisingly small percentage of controversies by jury trials. Guest lecturers lend their expertise to the course. A polygraph examiner, a local district attorney, a county court judge, and two area trial lawyers discuss their roles in the trial process.
JLS 131 The Family and the Law
Credits: 3
Semester:
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
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Law as it affects daily life through the regulation of the family. Examines such issues as child custody, adoption, state regulation of marriage, divorce, and domestic violence through use of historical, sociological, and anthropological materials, in addition to analyzing case law and statutes.
JLS 132 Local Government Law and Politics
Credits: 3
Semester:
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
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Introduces the structure of local governments, theories of local political decision-making, and laws relating to local decision makers. Also examines a few specific areas of local concern as case studies to determine whether the decision-making models conform to reality. These areas include public libraries, property taxes, school boards, sewers, and zoning. When appropriate, local decision-makers are invited to speak.
JLS 133 Law and the Consumer
Credits: 3
Semester:
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
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Explores modern consumer trends and relevant legal doctrines; the nature of consumer transactions; credit practices, credit repair, debt collection, contract abuses, and statutory remedies.
JLS 145 Urban Development, Law, and Policy
Credits: 3
Semester:
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
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Acquaints students with the developmental patterns of cities, gives them a basic understanding of city government forms and how these fit into the state and national governmental systems, and increases their understanding of policies that have shaped city development and change. Focuses on cities from three perspectives: 1) spatial growth and development, 2) governmental structure and lawmaking authority, and (3) policies that shaped cities or were designed to change them in some way.
JLS 201 Introduction to Law and Legal Process
Credits: 3
Semester:
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Type: LEC
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Examines the legal system and the relationships between the judiciary and other parts of our political order, as well as between federal and state governments. Also explores selected issues within the broader social policy areas of individual and civil rights and government regulations.
Updated: Apr 12, 2006 11:04:28 AM