225 sec. 001 - Legislation and Statutory Interpretation (Fall 2020)
Instructor: Jonathan Gould (view instructor's teaching evaluations - degree students only | profile)
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Units: 3
Grading Designation: Graded
Due to COVID-19, this class is remote for Fall 2020.
Mode of Instruction: Remote Instruction
Meeting:
WTh 11:20 AM - 12:35 PM
Location: Internet/Online
From August 19, 2020
To November 24, 2020
Course End: November 24, 2020
Class Number: 32670
Enrollment info:
Enrolled: 63
Waitlisted: 0
Enroll Limit: 68
As of: 12/07 09:41 AM

This course will introduce students to the legislative process and statutory interpretation. Statutes govern nearly every aspect of our society and our economy, and this course will give students the tools to understand how statutes come to be and how they are interpreted and applied in practice.
The first portion of the course will focus on the legislative process, including Congress’s internal procedures and organization, limits on Congress’s authority, and the role of parties, committees, and interest groups in the lawmaking process. The second portion of the course will turn to statutory interpretation, including theories of statutory interpretation, the use of legislative history, and major canons of construction. The third portion of the class will examine how administrative agencies interpret statutes and the doctrine surrounding judicial deference to agency statutory interpretations.
In exploring these topics, the course will reference cases and materials from many substantive areas of law, including criminal law, civil rights law, environmental law, labor and employment law, health care law, and national security law. The course will thus provide students with a small taste of many different areas of law. There are not, however, any prerequisites for the course.
Exam Notes: (TH) Take-home examination
Course Category: Public Law and Policy
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Readers:
A reader will be used in this class.
Books:
Instructor has indicated that no books will be assigned.