Criminal Justice Clinic
Syllabus Fall 2014
Prof. Nevins-Saunders1
READING ASSIGNMENT2
WEEK NUMBER
Orientation
See Orientation Assignments Memo
1.
2.
3.
1
Interviewing
4.
5.
2
Discovery
3
1
OTHER ASSIGNMENT(S)
See Orientation Assignments
Memo
Krieger
&
Neumann,
Essential Plan, record, and critique
Lawyering Skills, Ch. 8.
simulated client interview.
Amsterdam, Trial Manual 5 for the
Defense of Criminal Cases, Ch. 5
Hermann, et al., “Clients in Crisis”
(skim)
Legal Action Center, Your Rap Sheet
(skim)
Rap sheet, complaint and supporting
deposition provided to prepare for inclass simulated interview.
Answer discovery questions.
1. CPL Articles 240 (Discovery) and 250
(Defense Notices); CPL §§ 200.95(Bill of
Particulars) and 100.45(4).
2. Discovery Manual.
3. James Yates, Discovery Provision is
Misunderstood, NYLJ, Oct. 14, 2003.
4. Rule 3.4 “Fairness to Opposing Party and
Counsel” and Rule 3.8 “Special
Responsibilities of Prosecutors and Other
Government Lawyers.” (Please note Rule
3.8 and commentary is attached). Rules
of Professional Conduct.
5. List of discovery items from Brooklyn
Defenders
6. Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963);
People v. Vilardi, 76 NY2d 67 (1990).
7. People v. Damon, 24 NY2d 256 (1969).
8. People v. Kelly, 478 NY2d 834 (1984).
1. Krieger & Neumann, Essential
Take and give a witness
All assignments and classes are subject to change based on the needs of the class during the semester,
availability of guests, unexpected class cancelations, and professor’s judgment. That said, I imagine we’ll
adhere fairly closely to the schedule and assignments outlined here. Note that written or simulation out-ofclass assignments will be given with greater specificity closer in time to the specified class.
2
Articles, statutes, rules, videos, and case law should be looked up online through Westlaw, Google, or,
(for law review articles) from the library database for heinonline.
Investigation
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
1.
2.
4
Motions
3.
4.
5.
1.
2.
5
Negotiation &
Client Counseling
Theory
3.
4.
6
Plea Negotiation
& Client
Counseling
Simulation
1.
Lawyering Skills, Ch. 9.
C.P.L § 610.
Andrea Lyon, Investigation and
Development of a Theory.
People v. Jesse Armstrong, N.Y.L.J.
11/16/95, p. 30, col. 5 (Sup. Ct. Queens
Co., 1995)(Finnegan J.), aff’d, 249
A.D.2d 317 (2d Dept. 1998).
John M. Lajoie, Criminal Defense
Witness Interviews & Statements.
Anthony Amsterdam, “Defense
Investigation” in Trial Manual 5 for the
Defense of Criminal Cases, pgs. 180-195
and Checklist
ABA Criminal Defense Function
Standards, Part IV: Investigation and
Preparation, pgs. 201-203
Michelle Maxian, Subpoena Practice –
(Skim this, but pay particular attention to
the Introduction and sections I and IV)
CPL §§ 170.30-170.45; 255; 710.
Gary Muldoon, Handling a Criminal
Case in New York (2012-13 ed.), Ch. 7
“Motion and Hearing Practice”
People v. Mendoza, 82 N.Y.2d 415
(1993)
People v. DeBour, 40 N.Y.2d 210 (1976)
Hearing Preparation Handout
Krieger & Neumann, Essential
Lawyering Skills, Chapters 24-28.
Joel Cohen, “When Defendants are
Threatened to Plead Guilty.”
http://www.stroock.com/SiteFiles/Pub99
4.pdf
Rule 4.1 (and Comments thereto),
“Truthfulness in Statements to Others”
http://www.nycla.org/siteFiles/NYRuleso
fProfessionalConduct4109_362.pdf
Review PL 60, 65, 70 and 80 (only those
sections applicable to misdemeanors),
CPL 160.50, 170.55 and 170.56 – i.e.
what are possible pleas?
Discovery files for simulated plea
negotiation
statement.
Draft motions facts section;
answer questions about motions
practice.
Watch The Plea sections 2, 4, and
6 (or the whole thing). Two
choices for viewing:
http://video.pbs.org/video/221678
4391/
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/f
rontline/shows/plea/view/
Draft negotiation strategy for
current case using worksheet.
Prepare for simulated negotiation
and client counseling session.
7
Storytelling &
Case Theory
8
Voir Dire
9
Openings
1. Kreiger
&
Neumann,
Essential
Lawyering Skills, Ch. 13, “The Story
Model of Organizing Facts”
2. Alper et. al., Stories Told and Untold:
Lawyering Theory Analysis of the First
Rodney King Assault Trial,12 CLIN. L.
REV. 1 (2005).
3. “Statement of the Case” and “Factual
Background” in Respondent Edith
Windsor’s Brief before the Supreme
Court in United States of America v.
Windsor, 2013 WL 701228 (2013).
4. Lindsay, Storytelling – Why We Do it and
How to Get Better (optional)
5. “Argument I” in Brief for Appellants
Oliver Brown et.al. before the Supreme
Court in Brown v. Board of Educ. of
Topeka, KS, 1952 WL 47265 (1952)
(optional)
1. McElhaney, Rejiggering Jury Selection,
ABA Journal, April 2008, 30-31.
2. Smith, Veteran Litigators Ignore
Stereotypes, Knowing that Venire
Members Will Weigh the Facts Against a
Lifetime of Experiences, ABA Journal,
pgs. 35-39 (March 2002)
3. Frederick, Mastering Voir Dire and Jury
Selection, pgs. 1-12 (2005).
4. Kreiger and Richard K. Neumann, Jr.,
Essential Lawyering Skills, Ch. 13,
§13.3.
1. Daniel Goleman, “Study Finds Jurors
Often Hear Evidence with a Closed
Mind,” New York Times, Nov. 29, 1994
(http://www.nytimes.com/1994/11/29/sc
ience/study-finds-jurors-often-hearevidence-with-closedminds.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm).
2. Larry Pozner and Richard Dodd, Cross
Examination Skills for Law Students,
Ch. 7 (2009).
3. Steven H. Goldberg & Tracy W.
McCormack, The First Trial: Where Do
I Sit? What Do I Say? (2d. ed.) (2009),
Ch. 8.
Prepare and present a client
narrative.
Prepare voir dire questions.
Prepare and present an opening
argument.
10
Cross
Examination
11
Crimmigration
12
Race/Policy
13
Sentencing
1. Public Defender Service for the District
of Columbia, Criminal Practice Institute
Manual, Ch. 26, “Cross-Examination”
2. Bergman, “Cross-Examination,” Trial
Advocacy in a Nutshell
3. Pozner & Dodd, “The Only Three Rules
of Cross-Examination,” CrossExamination: Skills for Law Students
4. Gideon’s Promise, “Cross
Examination.”
Prepare a cross witness narrative.
1. Immigrant Defense Project, Suggested
Approaches
for
Reprseenting
a
Noncitizen in a Criminal Case
2. Immigrant Defense Project, Advisory for
Hatian Nationals Consdiering Applying
for TPS
3. Immigrant Defense Project, Practice
Advisory: Duty of Criminal Defesne
Counsel Representing an Immigrant
Defendant after Padilla v. KY (Apr. 6,
2010)
4. Immigrant Defense Project, Practice
Advisory: Descamps v. United States
and the Modified Cateogrial Approach
(July 17, 2013)
5. US Citizenship and Immigration
Services Memo on “No Jail” or “No
Incarceration” Certifications, (Jan. 21,
2011)
6. Manuel D. Vargas, Reprseenting
Noncitizen Criminal Defendants in New
York State, Ch. 3 (NYSDA Immigrant
Defense Project)
7. Immigration and Naturalization Act §§
212, 237
1. Murphy & Rosenbaum, “Two Women
who Used Cocaine too Much: Class,
Race, Gender, Crack, and Coke, Crack
in America: Demon Drugs and Social
Justice, pgs. 98-112 (1997).
2. Davis, Racial Fairness in the Criminal
Justice System: the Role of the
Prosecutor, 39 COLUM. HUM. RIGHTS L.
REV. 202 (2007).
1. CPL §§ 380.10-380.50; 390.20-390.50 Draft a sentencing letter.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
14
How Can You
Represent Those
People?
(focusing on statutory requirements)
The Sentencing Project, Twelve Steps to
Effective Sentencing Advocacy (found at
http://sentencingproject.org/doc/publicat
ions/twelvesteps.pdf)
The Sentencing Project, The Thinking
Advocate’s List of Mitigating Factors
(found at
http://lobby.la.psu.edu/049_Criminal_Ju
stice_Reform/Organizational_Statement
s/Sentencing%20Project/SP_Mitigating_
frna.pdf).
Sentencing Letter for John Doe
Sentencing Letter for John Smith
Craig S. Cooley, Malvo Closing
Argument, 19 CRIMINAL JUSTICE
MAGAZINE, 1 (Spring 2004) (found at
http://www.americanbar.org/publication
s/criminal_justice_magazine_home/crim
just_cjmag_19_1_juvenile.html).
1. Smith & Freedman (eds.), How Can You Draft and share personal narrative
Represent Those People? (2013)
(selected chapters).
2. Mary Halloran, An Ode to Criminal
Lawyers, CALIFORNIA LAWYER,
June 1998, at 96.