Apart from their assigned mod courses, 1L students may only enroll in courses offered as 1L electives. A complete list of these courses can be found on the 1L Elective Listings page. 1L students must use the 1L class number listed on the course description when enrolling.
287.51 sec. 001 - Housing Litigation and Policy (Spring 2026)
Instructor: Michael Robert Bracamontes (view instructor's teaching evaluations - degree students only)
View all teaching evaluations for this course - degree students only
Units: 2
Grading Designation: Graded
Mode of Instruction: In-Person
Meeting:
W 6:25 PM - 8:15 PM
Location: Law 141
From January 14, 2026
To April 22, 2026
Course End: April 22, 2026
Class Number: 34109
Enrollment info:
Enrolled: 18
Waitlisted: 0
Enroll Limit: 24
As of: 02/19 02:21 AM
Is housing a human right? If so, how do we hold landowners responsible to provide safe housing?
Housing litigation covers everything from complicated anoxic brain injuries, wrongful death due to dangerous conditions, multi-plaintiff lawsuits against slum lords or large corporations, federal civil rights actions seeking injunctions prohibiting the displacement of unhoused people on public property, to the more basic, but not less important, defense of unlawful detainers (evictions). We will study the various types of lawsuits referenced above, the strategies involved in successfully navigating each type of case, and how individual cases can be used to leverage broad community impact.
By the end of this course, students will understand the anatomy of various types of civil lawsuits, will have practiced arguing motions, understand the nuts and bolts of depositions, obtain practical issue spotting skills that will be applicable in real-world scenarios, and will know the historical development of how housing laws were used to create racial and social inequities that persist today.
Course requirements include a final in-class exam. Additionally, for each class session, two students will be provided moving and opposing papers from actual motions that were filed in superior court and will argue the motion. The course is a chance to develop writing, litigation, and public speaking skills, all while learning about a field of law that has helped shape the boundaries of wealth, inequality, and justice in this country.
Attendance at the first class is mandatory for all currently enrolled and waitlisted students; any currently enrolled or waitlisted students who are not present on the first day of class (without prior permission of the instructor) will be dropped. The instructor will continue to take attendance throughout the add/drop period and anyone who moves off the waitlist into the class must continue to attend or have prior permission of the instructor in order not to be dropped.
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Requirements Satisfaction:
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Exam Notes: (F) In-class Final Exam
(Subject to change by faculty member only through the first two weeks of instruction)
Exam Length: 2 hours
Course Category: Social Justice and Public Interest
This course is listed in the following sub-categories:
Litigation and Procedure
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Readers:
No reader.
Books:
Instructor has indicated that no books will be assigned.