LAW AND LITERATURE



LAW AND LITERATURE 952

Capital University Law School

Spring 2021 (2 Credit Hours)

Adjunct Professor: Mark Lewis

Kitrick, Lewis & Harris Co., L.P.A.

mlewis@



I. LAW AND LITERATURE (“Law-Lit”)

We explore law’s meaning, purpose and value through stories. What is justice? How should we judge? What is law’s foundation? Why obey law? How do gender, race and poverty, as well as various cultural norms and societal customs, affect the administration of justice? What kind of lawyer should I aspire to become? What values are most important to a flourishing life in law practice? Literature helps us answer such vital questions. It likewise teaches us skills that enhance our legal writing and persuasiveness. To that end, Law-Lit instructs us on narrative structures, character development and theme building, among other story-building tools. Those tools also share center stage with our focus on personal values and professional ethics as we confront the many moral-legal dilemmas in a thoughtful lawyer’s life. We read short classics such as Antigone, A Jury of Her Peers, Billy Budd and Noon Wine, along with the more contemporary works, The Lifeboat, Just Mercy, and A Trial By Jury. We also enjoy two movies, Dark Waters and The Central Park Five for their many Law-Lit leitmotifs. For further insights, we look to excerpts from poetry, essays, and actual legal cases too.

II. REQUIREMENTS & GRADING

A. Literature. We read the following:

|[pic] |Antigone, |[pic] |A Jury of Her |[pic] |The Lifeboat, |

| |Sophocles | |Peers, | |Charlotte Rogan |

| | | |Susan Glaspell | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

|[pic] |Just Mercy |[pic] |A Trial By Jury, |[pic] |Billy Budd, Sailor |

| |Bryan Stevenson | |D. Graham Burnett | |Herman Melville |

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| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

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|[pic] |Noon Wine, | | | | |

| |Katherine Anne | | | | |

| |Porter | | | | |

| | | | | | |

B. Movies. At the semester mid-point we watch Dark Waters, the award winning film that follows the arch of a lawyer’s quest for justice and truth in the legal profession. Later in the semester we watch The Central Park Five, a chilling documentary about five black teenagers who were falsely convicted of raping and beating a white woman. Both films raise key questions of legal ethics and the meaning and availability of justice in our legal system, a system often corrupted by money, race, class and power. Both movies also illustrate beautifully the art and anatomy of good storytelling.

[pic] [pic]

C. Papers. One short paper and one long paper. The short papers (3-4 pages, double-spaced) can explore an interpretive, jurisprudential, thematic or creative issue raised in Law-Lit or apply such an issue to a piece of literature. I’ll offer a list of approved topics, but invite you to develop your own as well. The first short paper is due on February 25th. It is worth 25% of your grade. The longer paper (5-7 pages, double-spaced) is due our final week or later time determined by our schedule. This final paper is worth 50% of your grade.

D. Class Discussion + Law-Lit Confabs. Our enjoyment and success depend on participation. We strive to create a classroom in which we’re all willing to share our personal and intellectual struggles with this thought-provoking material. To help achieve this goal, I create questions, issues, and talking points for our weekly class dialogue. I’ll email these Law-Lit Confabs before each class. Your overall participation in class throughout the semester equals 25% of your grade. You can also email me or comment on for further participation. Note also that if you miss more than 3 unexcused absences, your grade can be lowered by one level, e.g., A to A-.

E. . You can also visit our class website for further info, links, and welcoming content about our studies. You can post comments to satisfy, in part, your class participation grade or, for that matter, your own interests. Links to various online readings can be found along the left-hand column of the website home page.

III. WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS AT-A-GLANCE

|Class – Date |Reading Assignment |Discussion |

|Class 1 – 1/14 |Antigone |Confab |

|Class 2 – 1/21 |A Jury of Her Peers |Confab |

|Class 3 – 1/28 |The Lifeboat, pp. 1-143 |Confab |

|Class 4 – 2/4 |The Lifeboat, pp. 144-278 |Confab |

|Class 5 – 2/11 |Just Mercy, pp. 1-162 |Confab |

|Class 6 – 2/18 |Just Mercy, pp. 163-316 |Confab |

|Class 7 – 2/25 |Excerpts The Soul of The Law |1st Paper |

|Class 8 – 3/4 |A Trial By Jury, pp. 1-76 |Confab |

|Class 9 – 3/11 |A Trial By Jury, pp. 77-183 |Confab |

|Spring Break – 3/18 |Watch movie Dark Waters (Spring Break week) |Break |

|Class 10 – 3/25 |Dark Waters class discussion |Confab |

|Class 11 – 4/1 |Noon Wine |Confab |

|Class 12 – 4/8 |Billy Budd, Sailor |Confab |

|Class 13 – 4/15 |Watch documentary The Central Park Five |Confab |

|Class 14 – 4/22 |Excerpts The Happy Lawyer and The Good Lawyer |Confab/Final paper |

IV. WEEKLY READINGS IN DEPTH

Class 1

Antigone – Law’s Beginning, Story’s beginning

After our class introduction, we talk about what makes a good story, what are some of our favorite stories, and why. We introduce basic story structure and writing ideas that will guide us throughout the semester. We also look, in particular, at what makes for a good beginning to a story. We introduce character, conflict and arch as useful writing ingredients, and we apply them to famous literary openings. Can these same ingredients inform our legal writing too?

We then turn to our first story, Antigone by Sophocles. You’ll find an esteemed, free online version here: . This is the Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald translation. Feel free, if you prefer, to purchase the paperback, Kindle version or, for that matter, any other widely available translation as well. The minor differences in various modern translations won’t concern us.

We delve into Antigone by first asking whether the story is good, what makes it so (or not), and why. We apply the above character, conflict, and arch ingredients to the story’s opening passages.

We then move onto jurisprudential and thematic questions: How can we compare the various understandings and manifestations of law presented or implied in Antigone? In particular, what is law to Antigone and King Creon – how do they understand it, where does it come from, and where does it get its legitimacy and authority? Why do those questions matter to Antigone and Creon and the other characters?

Do these questions matter to you as a law student and future member of the legal profession?

Finally, in Antigone, we feel compelled to choose sides. Which side do you choose and why?

Class 2

A Jury of Her Peers – Obedience and Subversion; Gender and Law

We return to good story beginnings, asking whether this story creates one. What makes this beginning good or bad? Why does it matter to the reader? Why does it matter to the writer, including you as a legal writer?

We also return to now familiar jurisprudential questions. Harkening back to Antigone, can we justify subverting law in favor of other values, including those expressed in our customs and norms? Which or whose values control? How do we weigh the competing values? What if we believe the legal system cannot achieve a just outcome? Should we then subvert or manipulate it to find justice? More bluntly, if the justice system privileges one perspective, say the male-dominated outlook, are women justified in undermining legal process to achieve justice or to protect one of their own?

To explore these and other questions, we read Susan Glaspell’s A Jury of Her Peers, which you’ll find online at: .

Just as we did with Antigone, we ask whose side do you choose in a Jury of Her Peers, and why?

Classes 3-4

The Lifeboat – Story’s Characters, Law’s Absence

We read The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan. We continue our writer’s work on (1) good beginnings, (2) story structure and, now for the first time, (3) character development. We examine the elements of character development in writing. We consider the ways we can learn from character development to improve legal writing.

We also use Rogan’s story to tackle more jurisprudential ground. What happens when law is seemingly absent? Imagine you’re drifting on a menacing sea in an overloaded lifeboat. The boat will sink and all will perish unless some of the survivors leave the boat. You are starving, cold. Rising waves toss the boat as a storm approaches. You must act. You must choose. Do you aid others in throwing some overboard? Do you risk being thrown over yourself if you remain passive? In the confusion and terror, you are drawn into an altercation that results in someone going overboard. He drowns.

The boat doesn't sink in the storm. You are saved. But salvation does not greet you at the shore. You are arrested and tried for murder. The legal system will now judge your actions. The very laws that were seemingly absent on the boat will now determine your fate. The facts, circumstances and intentions that were so ambiguous and confusing on the boat now lie in the hands of twelve strangers on the jury who must determine what happened, who to blame, and how to punish.

These are some of the central tensions of The Lifeboat, a novel of morality, legality and indeterminacy. We ask what happens when law is seemingly absent and when it officially returns to adjudicate its subjects. Under such circumstances, how can our legal system fairly adjudicate facts? How can we possibly know what really happened on the boat at sea? And how then can we judge such “facts”? These questions also raise many of the same concerns that have occupied us these first few weeks: is it ever necessary to ignore or break the law? Are there times when law and morality become incompatible and, if so, how do we choose between them? Put in the starkest terms, would you sacrifice others aboard the boat to save yourself?

Classes 5-6

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption

In reading Bryan Stevenson’s remarkable autobiography about his work as a lawyer defending death row inmates in the south, we turn now to lawyers in their roles as professionals, as heroes and villains, and as ordinary people. We ask how the life of a lawyer can satisfy both professional and personal values, as the two do often conflict in the day-to-day work of legal professionals. You may have already experienced similar conflict in your legal education and work when the law has clashed with your own personal sensibilities about right and wrong.

The book also investigates broader questions about the meaning of justice, mercy and punishment, especially as they relate to the death penalty. Stevenson’s writing exposes racial injustice and other inequalities in our criminal courts, particularly those that affect African-Americans, cognitively impaired, juvenile and impoverished defendants. We will discuss what justice and mercy mean and how they interact, using Stevenson’s story for context.

Finally, Stevenson’s book is an ideal example of nonfiction writing coupled with narrative art, style and personality. We can learn much about effective, persuasive writing from his example.

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Class 7

The Soul of the Law – Supplemental reading provided by Prof. Lewis

In this supplemental reading, we personify the “Law” to ask the question, “What does the Law want?” We will examine order, objectivity, consistency, and conflict, among other crucial dimensions of legal psychology and culture. We borrow from Benjamin Sells’ groundbreaking mixture of law and psychology in The Soul of The Law (29th Anniversary Edition). Sells was a lawyer who switched professions to psychology and then shared insights he learned from treating lawyers as patients. He has much to say about how to care for ourselves in the legal profession.

Classes 8-9

A Trial By Jury – How Do We Decide?

How do we decide which side is right in legal contests? How can we know the truth of what happened? Who should win or lose the case? What judgment or verdict is just? The adversarial theory of justice says that truth can emerge from the contest of opposing legal and factual positions. But how much do the opposing lawyers and parties really care about truth? What other values, interests and incentives complicate the practice and purpose of truth-seeking and justice in our legal system? We examine these and other questions in D. Graham Burnett’s little-known autobiographical classic, A Trial By Jury, in which he tells of his life changing experience as a juror in a NYC murder case.

Class 10

Dark Waters – Law’s Values and Story Structures

We watch and discuss Dark Waters, the story of an embattled lawyer who seeks truth, justice and redemption in a corrupt legal system. The movie portrays several lawyers, all of whom face moral-legal dilemmas in the midst of a decades-long environmental and personal injury lawsuit.

We draw on insights developed thus far in the course to better understand our multifaceted legal culture, the esteem (or lack thereof) for legal practitioners, and the manner in which film and television influence both the popular misconceptions and the rude realities of our legal system. We will evaluate lawyers as heroes, as villains, and as ordinary, flawed human beings. We will also reflect on the conflicting ways in which big and small screen depictions of the legal system might influence the actual administration of justice.

This section of the course also allows us to consider the theatrical and dramatic nature of legal proceedings. How does the lawyer’s work mirror the creative tasks of actor, director, and screenwriter? Must we entertain or pull heartstrings or attempt to manipulate emotions to our legal ends? Importantly, what is the “structure” of story? Is there a common or useful structure to all stories? We examine the screenwriter and story telling tradition that invokes the “Hero’s Journey” and Hollywood screenwriter models for compelling, persuasive narrative. What can this tradition teach us lawyers about persuasion, story structure, coherence, and emotional appeal?

Class 11

Noon Wine: When Law’s Stories Fail

This week we read Katherine Ann Porter’s harrowing novella about a farmer who kills a bounty hunter. The bounty hunter appears one day looking for a farmhand accused of murder. In a bizarre, confusing altercation, the bounty hunter is killed with an axe. The farmer is charged with his murder. He protests his innocence, claiming he was only defending his farmhand. At trial, the farmer’s lawyer won’t let him tell his own story about what happened. His lawyer tells a different story, one that better fits the defense strategy and wins acquittal for the farmer. All is not well, however. Neither the farmer nor the small town can accept the not-guilty verdict. The different stories they tell themselves fail to match the story that won acquittal. Why, and at what cost to the accused, the victim, the community, and the legal system?

We compare the law’s judgment with the stories the accused and guilty tell themselves and others. Does a legal verdict give the accused, the victim, or society what they need or deserve? Are the language and authority of the law sometimes inadequate to their ostensible purposes? What happens when law’s stories fail? We draw on James Boyd White’s seminal work in law and literature to help us answer such questions.

Class 12

Billy Budd - Warm Hearts, Cool Heads: Anatomy of Legal Decision-Making

We discuss Herman Melville’s Billy Budd, Sailor. How do the letter and spirit of the law conflict? Can the objective rule of law or its formal application comfortably co-exist with emotion and human subjectivity? How do we reconcile those powerfully opposing forces in administering justice? Specifically, do passion, irrationalism, self-interest, and emotion subvert or promote legal decision-making? How much should legal analysis openly rely on our values, feelings and intuitions?

This inquiry allows us to investigate further what it might mean to “think like a lawyer.” For instance, lawyers are trained to solve problems through linear, rule-based reasoning—a largely formalistic enterprise. Is this thinking too narrow? What does it leave out? Does it discount the ability to see all sides, to capture relevant details, to regard the likely consequences, and to engage moral possibilities? Is such thinking always intellectually honest? Should we enlarge our notion of “thinking like a lawyer” to embrace these literary, pragmatic, and humanistic concerns?

Focusing on Chapters 19-26 in the novella, ask yourself what range of options is legitimately open to Captain Vere when making his “legal” decisions? And on what basis do he and the drumhead court actually make their decision? How do we, as readers, go about deciding such questions?

Class 13

The Central Park Five – Race, Injustice and Legal Culture

We watch Ken Burns’ disturbing documentary about five black teenage boys who were falsely accused and convicted of raping a white female jogger in Central Park. The film forces us to confront racial bias, undue media influence, and the rush to judgment that infects our legal culture and society. Although the events described occurred more than 30 years ago, the movie is just as relevant and timely an indictment of our legal system today as it was back in the late 1980s. In some ways, the problems it reveals are even more pronounced in this age of social media and 24-hour news cycle, coupled with renewed attention on the disparities in our justice system for people of color and those in the throes of poverty.

Class 14

The Happy Lawyer, The Good Lawyer – How to Live Meaningful, Fulfilling Lives as Lawyers

We conclude on an encouraging note. We read excerpts from two books about leading fulfilling lives in the legal profession. The Happy Lawyer: Making a Good Life in the Law and The Good Lawyer: Seeking Quality in the Practice of Law. We draw on psychology, philosophy, social science and personal experience to voice principles that will help us find the most satisfaction, wellbeing and meaning in our profession.

Further Course Information

TWEN Course Page: No TWEN page for this course. All classes conducted via Zoom and email/online confab discussions, as described below. We might resume in-person class when safe and practicable, with the law school’s permission.

Course Meetings/Requirements

This class will meet via Zoom for 2 hours a week until resumption of in-person class at the school. To complete the class you must:

o Participate in Zoom classes at the regularly scheduled time, Thurs 6:00-8:00. Professor Lewis will email the Zoom invite each week, along with the weekly “Law-Lit Confab.”

o If you are excused or miss class without excuse, you can watch the recorded class.

o Complete and submit all assigned papers by the deadline.

 

Credit Hours: 2

Textbook/Course Materials

You will receive weekly Law-Lit Confabs by email. The Confabs contain summaries, links to other material, questions and talking points for your class preparation. There are no assigned texts for this class.

Course Description

We explore law’s meaning and value through stories. What is justice? How should we judge? What is law’s foundation? Why obey law? What kind of lawyer should I aspire to become? What values are most important to a flourishing life in law practice? Literature helps us answer such vital questions. It likewise teaches us to become better legal writers. To that end, we learn narrative structure, character development, and theme building, among other story tools. Those tools share center stage with our professional values as we confront the many moral-legal dilemmas in a thoughtful lawyer’s life. We read short classics such as Antigone, A Jury of Her Peers, Billy Budd, and Noon Wine, along with the more contemporary works, The Lifeboat, Just Mercy, and A Trial By Jury. We also dissect two movies, Dark Waters and The Central Park Five for their many Law-Lit themes. For further insights, we look to excerpts from poetry, essays, and actual legal cases.

Course Goals & Learning Outcomes

1. Oral and Written Communication: Students will be able to discuss and write papers concerning complex legal, moral and cultural issues that affect their education and future practice of law. The oral and written communication skills focus primarily on the understanding, analysis and advocacy of various ethical, moral and practical legal problems that arise in the context of stories, fiction and nonfiction, essays and films about contemporary American law and lawyers.

2. Problem-solving and Professionalism: As noted above, students will be able to identify legal-moral and ethical quandaries and develop options for addressing those problems. Students will likewise gain greater understanding of cultural depictions and portrayals of law and lawyers, including their own roles and responsibilities in shaping such perceptions.

3. Professional Skills: Similarly, students will learn various professional skills needed for competent participation as a member of the legal profession. Such skills include empathy, intellectual honesty, advocacy and effective writing, among others. Similarly, our course focuses heavily on written and spoken communication, including legal and profession writing and speaking skills.

Course Components

Zoom Class Lectures (synchronous)

Zoom Instructions:

We will meet synchronously on Zoom every Thursday from 6:00-8:00. I will email the Zoom invite to our class meetings with each weekly Law, Film & Culture Confab. Always log-in to class using your Capital Zoom account (“SSO login”).

If you have questions about Zoom, please contact one of the following individuals:

• Dan Parker (dparker3@capital.edu), Academic Technology & Instructional Design Coordinator

• Law IT Helpdesk (IT@law.capital.edu)

Expectations for Zoom Classes/Attendance:

The baseline expectation is that you will be physically present for the entirety of every single synchronous session, and that you will have your camera on and your microphone muted unless called on. Please know that Zoom will automatically take your attendance.

Calling on Students/Asking Questions during Zoom Classes:

I will call on students in class: if you are called on please unmute yourself, answer the question and then mute again. If you want to ask a question, click the “raise your hand” button. If you cannot see it – click on “Participants.” When I say your name, unmute your microphone and talk. After the question is answered, mute your microphone again.

1. Recording

The sessions are typically recorded and I will post the recording on Echo 360 and/or email the link. Technological issues might arise so that I cannot guarantee a class will be recorded. Plan to be in class, except for emergencies.

Assignments

Reading: Each week we read stories, essays and nonfiction, among other sources, to explore law’s meaning, value and purpose.

Class Discussion + Confabs. As noted above, your overall participation in class throughout the semester equals 25% of your grade. You can participate in several ways – through class discussion, chat through Zoom, active listening and engagement, as well as through email responses to the confabs each week.

Please note that class attendance is required and you can lose a grade level if you miss more than 3 unexcused classes.

Papers. One short paper and one long paper. The short paper (3-4 pages, double-spaced) can explore an interpretive, jurisprudential, or thematic issue raised in the films or apply such an issue to another legal film (with instructor approval). I’ll provide a list of approved topics, but invite you to develop your own as well. The first short paper is due Feb. 25th. It is worth 25% of your grade. The longer paper (5-7 pages, double-spaced) is due our last class or another time determined by our schedule. This final paper is worth 50% of your grade.

Netiquette

When communicating through email or another online interaction, please use respectful netiquette protocols for smooth and effective understanding. Please follow the following “Netiquettes”:

• Any online communication related to the class is still considered a classroom.

• Be respectful and treat others with dignity, compassion, and respect.

• Avoid language that may come across as strong or offensive.

• Be cautious about sharing personal and sensitive disclosures within the context of the course.

• Consider the privacy of others. Respect and do not share a classmate’s comments or email addresses with others.

• No inappropriate material, including chain letters, jokes, etc. to classmates or instructors.

• Read first, write later, review, then send.

• The language for this course should be professional, not resemble text messages. For example, do not write using all capital letters (it represents shouting).

• Also, the use of emoticons can be helpful in conveying nonverbal feelings (i.e., :-)), but avoid overusing them.

• Write to express a point and stay on topic.

Office Hours

• I am happy to schedule one-on-one office hours via Zoom or phone. I’m generally available for dedicated office hours before our Thursday class as well. Because I’m a fulltime practicing attorney, it is usually best to email me first to answers your questions or schedule time to talk or meet.

• Email course questions and personal concerns. Email is the preferred method of contact.

• Email will be checked at least once per day Monday through Friday, and at least once during the weekend. I will respond to all emails within 24 hours during the week, and within 48 hours during the weekend. If there are special circumstances that will delay my response, I will make an announcement to the class.

Grading/Evaluation

Class Discussion + Confabs. As noted above, your overall participation in class throughout the semester equals 25% of your grade. You can participate in several ways – through class discussion and active listening, as well as through email responses to the confabs each week.

Please note that class attendance is required and you can lose a grade level if you miss more than 3 unexcused classes.

Papers. One short paper and one long paper. The short paper (3-4 pages, double-spaced) can explore an interpretive, jurisprudential, or thematic issue raised in the films or apply such an issue to another legal film (with instructor approval). I’ll provide a list of approved topics, but invite you to develop your own as well. The first short paper is due Feb. 25th. It is worth 25% of your grade. The longer paper (5-7 pages, double-spaced) is due our last class or another time determined by our schedule. This final paper is worth 50% of your grade.

Class Preparation and Out-of-Class Work

The American Bar Association (ABA) requires accredited law schools to ensure that students are sufficiently engaged in both in- and out-of-class study. The amount of work required to justify the award of one credit hour is generally derived from a combination of in-class and out-of-class work.

The assignments in this class reflect the requirements of ABA Standard 310, which requires students to spend on average a minimum of 2 hours preparing for every hour of class. In addition to the time you spend in class, you should expect to devote a minimum of 4 hours per week preparing for a 2-hour class. The reading and Confabs will more than allow for this.

Attendance Policy

ABA and Law School policy requires that students regularly attend all classes. Please note that class attendance is required and you can lose a grade level if you miss more than 3 unexcused classes. Any absences for an extended period, due to COIVID, other illness or other exigent circumstances, must be reported to Dean Braxton, Assistant Dean of Students, at mbraxton4@law.capital.edu or 614-236-6402.

Disability Services

Capital University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. If you are seeking academic accommodations, you are required to disclose your disability to the Accessibility Office and make a request for accommodations. Further information may be obtained by contacting the Accessibility Office by email disabilityservices@capital.edu or by telephone 614-236-6611. Additional information regarding the process for registering with the Accessibility Office may be found at . This syllabus is available in alternate format upon request.

Title IX – Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, and Misconduct

Capital University is committed to ensuring a safe environment free of discrimination on the basis of sex, including sexual misconduct and harassment.  If you have experienced an incident of sex or gender-based discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct, we encourage you to report it.  Capital University faculty are committed to supporting students, however, please understand that faculty are “responsible employees” of the University and must report incidents of sex- or gender-based discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct to the Title IX Coordinator, Dr. Jennifer Speakman.  If you would like to make a confidential report, please refer to Capital University’s Sex- or Gender-Based Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct policy for more information on reporting options: .

Center for Health and Wellness: You may experience situations or face personal challenges that affect academic progress, social development, or emotional wellbeing. Capital University offers a variety of confidential services to help you through difficult times. Contact Capital University’s Center for Health and Wellness by phone 614-236-6114, by email chw@capital.edu or in person at the Kline Center. 24-hour mental health support is available by calling the Center for Health and Wellness, 614-236-6114.

Student Success: Capital University is committed to supporting your success as a student and as a person. Student Success services are available to help work through any challenges or barriers to success, to guide you to the best resources available, and to help you stay on a consistent path to success. For assistance, contact Professor Hara, Professor and Director of Academic Success, at hhara@law.capital.edu or 614-236-6564 or Dean Braxton, Assistant Dean of Students, at mbraxton4@law.capital.edu or 614-236-6402.

Diversity and Inclusion: Diversity and inclusion are essential to Capital University’s mission of transforming lives through higher education. Diversity refers to the differences that exist among people. Inclusion denotes the proactive behaviors that facilitate an environment that allows each person to feel welcomed and affirmed. Our community:

• Values and creates a welcoming and supportive environment that honors and engages the many aspects of diversity and dignity for all.

• Intentionally seeks to attract, nurture, and retain diverse students, faculty, and staff.

• Fosters acceptance, respect, and appreciation of all persons regardless of background as vital elements of our university community.

• Celebrates our commonalities and unique differences and asserts that diversity broadens learning, stimulates creativity, and promotes the exchange of ideas.

At the Law School please reach out to Jasmine C. Marks, Associate Director of Diversity & Inclusion at 614.236.6256 or jmarks20@law.capital.edu.

Schedule of Classes and Assignments

|Class 1 – 1/14 |Antigone |Confab |

|Class 2 – 1/21 |A Jury of Her Peers |Confab |

|Class 3 – 1/28 |The Lifeboat, pp. 1-143 |Confab |

|Class 4 – 2/4 |The Lifeboat, pp. 144-278 |Confab |

|Class 5 – 2/11 |Just Mercy, pp. 1-162 |Confab |

|Class 6 – 2/18 |Just Mercy, pp. 163-316 |Confab |

|Class 7 – 2/25 |Excerpts The Soul of The Law |1st Paper |

|Class 8 – 3/4 |A Trial By Jury, pp. 1-76 |Confab |

|Class 9 – 3/11 |A Trial By Jury, pp. 77-183 |Confab |

|Spring Break – 3/18 |Watch movie Dark Waters (Spring Break week) |Break |

|Class 10 – 3/25 |Dark Waters class discussion |Confab |

|Class 11 – 4/1 |Noon Wine |Confab |

|Class 12 – 4/8 |Billy Budd, Sailor |Confab |

|Class 13 – 4/15 |Watch documentary The Central Park Five |Confab |

|Class 14 – 4/22 |Excerpts The Happy Lawyer and The Good Lawyer |Confab/Final Paper |

In-Person Addendum: N/A

Course Meetings/Requirements: N/A. All classes by Zoom until further notice.

COVID-19 Procedures:

The health and safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors on our campuses is our top priority. In response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Capital community will be working together to support compliance with recommended health and safety standards to optimize the learning experience while minimizing health risks.  Please check the University website for the most recent important details related to in-person classes provided below:

1. Complete daily temperature and symptom check. Anyone experiencing one or more COVID-19 symptoms should not be in the Law School building or on the University on campus and should contact a medical provider and follow their guidance. Please email Dean Braxton, Assistant Dean of Students, at mbraxton4@law.capital.edu or 614-236-6402, if your screening indicates the need for further evaluation and you will not be attending class.

2. Wear face coverings. All members of the Capital community are required to wear face coverings while in classrooms or any other shared space, including specified public or common-use areas where physical distancing guidelines cannot be followed.  No one, instructor or student, is to attend in-person classes without properly wearing a face covering that covers the person’s nose, mouth, and chin.  

3. Maintain physical distancing. All students, faculty, staff, and guests are required to maintain a safe distance from one another. Physical distancing is to be maintained in all indoor and outdoor spaces which are owned or controlled by Capital. Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people, do not gather in groups, stay out of crowded places and avoid mass gatherings. Please, sit in only designated areas in class and do not move chairs or desks in classrooms or common spaces. Do not congregate in groups within hallways and common areas within academic buildings during transition to and from classroom activities.

4. Practice good hand hygiene. Individuals should wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as often as possible or use personal hand sanitizers containing at least 60% alcohol. Hand sanitizer stations are available throughout the campus. 

5. Disinfect your classroom space. Students and faculty are responsible for disinfecting areas within their workspaces by cleaning these at the beginning and end of each class. This includes desk tops, seats, and equipment used during class. Disinfectant supplies will be provided. If paper towels or wipes are used to disinfect, they must be discarded in a trash receptacle immediately after use.

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