COMS 342

Courtroom Rhetoric

Reading Schedule

 


For each day that we read cases, you need to brief these cases. 

If you do not know how to brief a case, consult the appendix from Walker & Epstein

These briefs will be collected on an irregular basis as outlined in the course syllabus.

For days when we discuss oratory, be prepared to discuss the case materials in light of the case law.

Week 1; September 8:

The standards of law and rhetoric
                Aristotle and the standards of law: Rhetoric: Chapters 10, 12, 13 and 14.
                Oratory: Cicero's Defense of Milo (Continues for several pages, read all!)

Week 2; September 13 and 15:

Who is subservient to the law?
Cases:      Marbury v. Madison
                Barron v. Baltimore
                Duncan v. Louisiana
                United States v. Nixon
                Nixon v. Administrator of General Services (Contains US v. Nixon)
 

Oratory: Charles I - democracy and divine right
                Charles I's Courtroom Speech

                Charles I's Gallows Speech

                Milton's Tenure of Kings

Week 3; September 20 and 22:

The role of evidence

Cases:      Brinegar v. United States

                Illinois v. Gates

                Cupp v. Murphy

                Mapp v. Ohio

 

Oratory: The Trial of O.J. Simpson
               Marcia Clark's Closing Argument
               Christopher Darden's Closing Argument

               Johnnie Cochrane's Closing Argument


Week 4; September 27 and 29:

Equality before the law -- Race
Cases:      Plessy v. Ferguson
                Brown v. Board of Education
                Loving v. Virginia
                Washington v. Davis
 

Oratory: Thurgood Marshall on equality before the law

                The Legal Attack to Secure Civil Rights

                Equality Speech

                Bicentennial Speech

                The Sword and the Robe

 

Week 5; October 4 and 6:

Equality before the law -- Sex

Cases:     Reed v. Reed

                Craig v. Boren

                Michael M. v. Superior Court of Sonoma County

                Rostker v. Goldberg

                Orr v. Orr

 

Oratory: Susan B. Anthony on equality before the law
                Anthony's Address to the Court

                Argument for the Defense

 

Week 6; October 11 and 13: Issues in the law -- Sanity and responsibility               
Cases:      Theard v. U.S.
                Durham v. United States
                Brawner v. United States
                Davis v. United States
                Ake v. Oklahoma
 

Oratory:    John Hinckley
                Trial Excerpts from Hinckley Trial
                Hinckley's New Year's Monologue
                Hinckley's Communication with Jodie Foster


Week 7; October 18 and 20:

Issues in the law -- Religion and public policy
Cases:       Epperson v. Arkansas

                Edwards v. Aguillard

                Lemon v. Kurtzman

                Zorach v. Clauson
 

Oratory:    The Scopes "Monkey" Trial

               Clarence Darrow against William Jennings Bryan (read all 8 days)

 

Week 8; October 25:

Issues in the law -- The death penalty

** No In-Class Meeting on October 27

** Use This Time in Your Supreme Courts

Cases:      McGautha v. California
                Furman v. Georgia
                Gregg v. Georgia
                McCleskey v. Kemp
 

Oratory: The death penalty and/as cruel and unusual punishment

                Nathan Leopold's Confession

                Clarence Darrow's Summation

 

Week 9; November 1 and 3:

Issues in the law -- War crimes
Cases:      Hirota v. MacArthur
                Johnson v. Eisentrager
                Grafton v. United States
                United States v. Burr
                Parker v. Levy
 

Oratory:    The Court-Martial of William Calley

                Summation of George Latimer for the Defense

                Summation of Aubrey Daniels for the Prosecution

                Judge's Instructions to the Court Members

 

Week 10; November 8 and 10:

Issues in the law -- Obscenity

Cases:      Roth v. United States
                Jacobellis v. Ohio

                Miller v. California
                Paris Adult Theater v. Slaton
 

Oratory:    Lenny Bruce and Defining Obscenity

                Excerpts from the Bruce Trial

                Decisions on the Bruce Trial

                Bruce's Monologues at Issue

                George Carlin's Seven Dirty Words

 

Week 10; November 15:

Course summary and review

November 17 is a University Reading Day