UNIVERSIDAD DE ESPECIALIDADES ESPIRITU SANTO
FACULTAD DE ESTUDIOS INTERNACIONALES
INTERNATIONAL CAREERS PROGRAM
SYLLABUS
ENGLISH VERSION
FOR DAC 11 VER 19 05 08
SUBJECT: Constitutional law
CODE: UDER262
FACULTY: Daniel Badovinac
CREDITS: 3 UEES
(S.N.C.C. 4.8)
NON-CONTACT
HOURS: 96
PERIOD: WINTER
SCHEDULE.
18:00-19:15
SYLLABUS DATE:
Dec, 2008
CONTACT HOURS: 48
YEAR: 2009
DAYS: Mondays-Thursdays
ROOM: F25
1. COURSE DESCRIPTION
The Constitutional Law survey class covers the core topics of
constitutional law. Though the class is designed and taught from an
Anglo Saxon dominated view point, the issues and concerns of the
topics of Constitutional Law have parallels in the Civil Code systems.
This class will additionally look at the importance of case materials in
relation to statutory law. This course is designed to give each IUP
student the appropriate tools to understand the legal affairs of a
constitutional question on the most basic levels. The following broad
topics will be discussed:
* Constitutional Law
* Civil Rights
* Criminal Procedure
* The Litigation Process
* Free Speech
* Judicial Review
* Power Allocation
* Separation of Powers
2. JUSTIFICATION
This Course will provide a foundation for the study of various areas of
constitutional law that the student may become exposed to during his
professional carreer and life as a citizen including economic liberties, equal
protection, substantive due process, freedom of expression and religion. It also
features various aspects of practical skills that the student must dominate in
order to excel as a lawyer such as constitutional analysis and interpretation.
3. OBJECTIVES
GENERAL OBJECTIVES:
This course will expose students to the basic rules of constitutional law and how
its provisions are applied. The course will cover the entire perspective of the
“constitutional law”. Current legal issues will be discussed. Students will need to
integrate their current knowledge with knowledge presented in this course.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to: Know the rules
governing basic issues of constitutional law in context of both their evolution
and their application. Have both knowledge of and facility with the vocabulary of
the constitution. Understand the values inherent in the constitution and the role
those values have in the application of it. Learn through the method of
instruction the skill of case analysis the value of engaged legal discourse about
cases.
4. COMPETENCIES
- Acquire the experience necessary to maximize the opportunity of subsequent
courses where the skills and experience are presumed to be possessed by the
student such as in property and torts courses.
- Be able to apply the legal principles examined in the course to real life
situations in a manner that develops their analytical reasoning skills.
5. COURSE CONTENT OUTLINE
DATE
&
SESSION
Week # 1
Jan 12
Week # 1
Jan 13
SPECIFIC
COMPETENCIES
CONTENT
NON
CONTACT
HOURS
Subject(s) Covered
Assignmnets
Hours of
Study
The student is
None: Class
introduced to the
Discussion
policies and
description of the
course and learns
of the importance of
the subject.
The student is
Outline # 1
exposed to the
history of the
American legal
ASSESSMENT
Evaluation
None
Create their own
definition of a
Constitutional law
Introduction
to the Law
and Legal
System of
Study and
understand the
influences that
led to a
history and the rise
of constitutionalism
Week # 1
Jan 14
American Legal
History II
Week # 1
Jan 15
Judicial Review
Outline # 2
Week # 2
Jan 19
The student is
exposed to the
Limits of judicial
Review
Week # 2
Jan 20
The student
analyzes the
Standing
requirement to
present a
constitutional claim
The student
analyzes Ripeness
and Mootness
cases
Week # 2
Jan 21
Outline # 1
Week # 2
Jan 22
The student
analyzes and
discusses the
Political Question
Doctrine
Week # 3
Jan 26
The student is
exposed to the
Outline # 3
Outline # 4
Outline # 5
Outline # 6
Outline # 7
the United
States
Pgs. 1-20
Introduction
to the Law
and Legal
System of
the United
States
Pgs. 21-37
Introduction
to the Law
and Legal
System of
the United
States
Pgs. 340360
Introduction
to the Law
and Legal
System of
the United
States
Pag. 360380
Constitution
al Law pg.
1-20
Constitution
al Law pg.
1-20
constitution
based legal
system
Analyze the
judicial review
process of the
courts
Study and
understand the
importance of the
limits of Judicial
Review
Study and
understand the
standing
requirement
Introduction
to the Law
and Legal
System of
the United
States
Pag. 380400
Constitution
al Law pg.
21-29
Constitution
al Law pg.
30-60
Discuss what
constitutes
ripeness and
what constitutes
mootness.
Constitution
al Law pg.
Understand the
way that
Critique the
political question
doctrine
Week # 3
Session #
10Jan 27
Federal Legislative
Powers and the
relationship
between states and
the federal
government
The Student
recognizes the
autonomy that
states enjoy in
regulating
themselves
Outline # 8
61-100
Legislative
powers work
Introduction
to the Law
and Legal
System of
the United
States
Pag. 410430
Constitution
al Law pg
101-140
MIDTERM
EXAM
Critique whether
states should or
should not enjoy
autonomy
Constitution
al Law pg.
140-160
Analyze the
executive power
of the state
Constitution
al Law pg.
161-190
Read the
assignments on
the limits on state
regulatory and
taxing power to
discuss whether
it is fair and
equitable.
Read the
assignments on
Economic
liberties and
create a chart
containing the
various types of
liberties available
Discuss in what
situations is the
equal protection
clause applicable
Week # 3
Jan 28
MIDTERM
EXAM
MIDTERM
EXAM
Week # 3
Jan 29
The student is
exposed to the
federal executive
power and its
structure
The student
analyzes the limits
on state regulatory
and taxing power
Outline # 9
Week # 4
February 3
The student
analyzes the
different types of
Economic Liberties
Outline # 11
Constitution
al Law pg.
191-210
Week # 4
Session #
15
February 4
The student
Outline # 12
analyzes the equal
protection clause of
the constitution and
its scope
The student
Outline #13
recognizes the
existente of the
fundamental right of
due process
Constitution
al Law pg.
211-220
The student
Constitution
Week # 4
February 2
Week # 4
February 5
Week # 5
Outline #10
Outline # 14
Constitution
al Law pg.
221-230
MIDTERM
EXAM
Understand the
right to a due
process of law
and the
presumption of
innocence
Discuss the right
February 9
al Law
pg.231-240
of freedom of
expression and
its exceptions
Outline # 15
Constitution
al Law pg.
241-250
Week # 5
February 1112
Outline # 16
Constitution
al Law pg.
251-264
Week # 5
REVIEW
February 1619
REVIEW
REVIEW
Discuss various
cases concerning
the protection of
freedom of
religion
Understand the
right to privacy
and analyze the
cases provided
by the professor
REVIEW
REVIEW
REVIEW
FINAL
EXAM
FINAL EXAM
Week # 5
February 10
identifies the first
amendment
freedom of
expression
The student
identifies the first
amendment
freedom of religion
Week # 6
REVIEW
February 2627
Week # 6
FINAL EXAM
Feb.2-5
REVIEW
FINAL EXAM
6. METHODOLOGY
This survey will be treated and conducted like a law school class in the English
speaking world. Therefore, in addition to a midterm and final exam, students will
be called upon to provide recitation of facts and case materials. The choice of
recitation is random and students will be required to be prepared at each and
every class period. In addition to the Socratic method of case recitation, lecture,
group discussions and practical exercises will be conducted in class.
7. ASSESSMENT
Examinations will review the material covered in the text and the information
presented in class lectures. The exams will consist of true/false, fill in the blank,
and multiple choice questions. Grades are bases on the total points achieved
on exams and assignments.
Aproximate Point Allocation
Midterm Exam: 25%
Final Exam: 25%
8. BIBLIOGRAPHY
6.1 REQUIRED TEXT #3:
Assignments: 25%
Class Participation: 25%
Introduction to the Law and Legal System of the United States, William
Burnham
Constitutional Law, 2007 Supplement, Erwin Chemerinsky
6.2 HANDOUTS
Copies at the University’s Library
WEBLIOGRAPHY:
General Legal Terms: http://legal-dictionary.com
EBSCO Database
9. FACULTY INFORMATION
Name: Daniel Badovinac, LL.M.
Degrees and Awards
Universities
Licenciado en Ciencias Politicas
Universidad Espiritu Santo
Abogado
Universidad Espiritu Santo
Master of Laws in International
University of Houston
Comparative Law
Candidate to Texas Bar Membership
E-Mail: danielbadovinac@gmail.com, danielbadovinac@porta.blackberry.com,
dbadovinac@pge.gov.ec
10.
Prepared by: Daniel Badovinac Farah
Reviewed by: Dean Mónica Reynoso
Date: Dec, 2008
Date: Dec, 2008