<p>Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Review of Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination, including analysis of Miranda warnings, police interrogation procedures, coerced confessions, and why innocent people confess. Examination of jury behavior, reliability of eyewitness testimony, and fair trials. Mock trial presentation. Intimate expression and right to define one’s own concept of existence and meaning, using examples of evolving rulings on same-sex marriage, abortion, and right to die. Use and misuse of grand juries in police misconduct cases, including Eric Brown, Michael Garner, and Breonna Taylor cases. Questions of judicial activism, legal precedent, and standards of review. Letter grading.</p>

Communication

Combining rigorous, inclusive pedagogy with opportunities for co-curricular activities—including research, internships, and community engagement—the College provides students with diverse learning experiences that helps them thrive, become critical thinkers, and transform society.

College of Letters and Science

The department studies the nature of human communication at multiple levels of analysis.

General Catalog

Legal Communication

COMM 170

4 units