2L-3L Upper Level Lesson Topics

In this lesson, you will review both the theory and the application of the plain view doctrine.

This lesson examines the so-called "plain view" exception to the warrant requirement. Even though the Fourth Amendment contains a warrant requirement, the United States Supreme Court has recognized numerous exceptions to that requirement, including the plain view exception. This lesson is intended for students who have studied this issue in class and wish to refine their knowledge.

These two exercises are offered to familiarize students with what prosecuting and defense attorneys do from the time an investigation begins until trial preparation and why they do it. Special attention is given to correspondence, pleadings, and the guilty plea. The framework for both exercises is federal practice.

This lesson examines the public policy objectives driving and defining United States patent law. The first section explores the nature and logic of the regime's generally accepted core purpose - providing optimum incentives to invest in useful arts innovation. The next section discusses how that goal generates the basic doctrinal requirements for patentability (novelty, nonobviousness, utility, enablement/disclosure - patentable subject matter is covered separately in lessons on Patentable Subject Matter and Non-Obviousness). The lesson's final section concludes with a brief look at how other normative views of property entitlements affect patent public policy debate as well as client expectations.

This lesson is a companion tutorial to the CALI lesson "Recovery of Attorney's Fees." This lesson reviews the policy debate over the American Rule vs. the English Rule. In this lesson, you can judge a debate regarding which approach to attorney's fees rules is better policy.

This lesson presents an introduction to the doctrine that the performance of a pre-existing duty, or a promise to perform such a duty, does not constitute a sufficient consideration to make a promise binding. Through questions based on a series of hypothetical cases, underlying reasons for the doctrine are considered, as well as its ramifications in various contexts. Coverage includes: the performance of duties owed to the promise or third parties as consideration; modifications on one side of executory contracts; substituted contracts following rescission; executory accords; satisfaction; liquidated claims and offers to settle unliquidated claims.

These two exercises are offered to familiarize students with what prosecuting and defense attorneys do from the time an investigation begins until trial preparation and why they do it. Special attention is given to correspondence, pleadings, and the guilty plea. The framework for both exercises is federal practice.

Articles II through X of the Federal Rules set out substantive evidentiary tests and standards. However, a student's understanding of those tests and standards is incomplete unless the student appreciates the procedural framework within which those provisions operate. Federal Rules 104(a) and 104(b) are the fulcrum of that framework. Those subdivisions codify the distinction between competence and conditional relevance issues.

This lesson deals with the requirements for preliminary injunctive relief, and includes both temporary injunctions and temporary restraining orders. It is designed for students who have already studied this material in class, and desire to refine their understanding of the matter by applying it in various contexts.

This lesson explores premarital agreements, also known as antenuptial or prenuptial agreements. This lesson assumes you already have a basic understanding of premarital agreements.

This lesson focuses on the presidential power to appoint executive branch officials. It focuses on the scope of the presidential power, congressionally imposed limits on that power, and potential infringements of the power by Congress and the judiciary. This lesson is intended for students who have studied these issues in class, and who wish to further refine their knowledge.