Fall 2003 Syllabus

FAMILY LAW CLINIC SEMINAR SYLLABUS
Fall 2003

Professor Jane C. Murphy
Family Justice Building
5 W. Chase Street, Room 307
Baltimore, MD 21201

Office: 410-837-5657
Home: 410-243-3578
email: jmurphy@ubalt.edu

Professor Leigh Goodmark
Family Justice Building
5 W. Chase Street, Room 302
Baltimore, MD 21201

Office: 410-837-5639
Home: 410-367-9184
email: lgoodmark@ubalt.edu

Professor Claire Smearman
Family Justice Building
5 W. Chase Street, Room 303
Baltimore, MD 21201

Office: 410-837-5647

email: csmearman@ubalt.edu

Course Materials

Required:

Family Law Article, Maryland Annotated Code (1999 Replacement Volume and 2002 Supplement)
Domestic Violence Cases: Skills and Strategies, MICPEL (2001) (DV Manual)
Maryland Rules of Court (2003)
Murphy/Goodmark/Smearman, Family Law Clinic Manual (Fall 2003)

Recommended:

Mauet, Pretrial (5th ed.) (2002)
Mauet, Trial Techniques (6th ed.) (2002)
Binder, Bergman & Price, Lawyers as Counselors (1991)
McLain, Rules of Evidence (2002)

The recommended materials will be used regularly throughout the semester, but copies will be available at the clinic library or on reserve in the law school library.

Dates	Activity
Wed. Aug . 27	Clinic Orientation -- 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.* Introduction to Clinic Goals, Practice, and Procedures Team and Case Assignments * The weekly seminar for Family Law Clinic will be on Wednesdays from 2:00 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. (except the first three classes, which will end at 4:45 p.m.) at 5 W. Chase Street.
Wed. Sept. 3	Seminar: Protection from Domestic Violence Act Simulation: Initial Client Interview
Week of Sept. 8	Observe Domestic Violence Cases -- Baltimore City District Court
Wed. Sept. 10	Seminar: Domestic Violence: Dynamics, Social and Cultural Perspective, and Evidentiary Issues Simulation: Protection Order Hearing
Week of Sept. 15	Observe Domestic Trials and Hearings -- Baltimore City Circuit Court/Family Division
Wed. Sept. 17	Seminar: Grounds for Divorce/Legal Writing Introduction to Circuit Court Practice and Procedure
Wed. Sept. 24	Seminar: Custody and Visitation Simulation: Appellate Argument
Wed. Oct. 1	Seminar: Spousal/Child Support: Theory and Practice Simulation: Pendente Lite Hearing/Direct Examination, Introduction to Exhibits
Wed. Oct. 8	Seminar: Case Planning: Formal and Informal Fact Investigation/Discovery
Wed. Oct. 15	MID-SEMESTER EVALUATIONS: Individual Meetings as Scheduled
Wed. Oct. 22	Seminar: Case Rounds -- Case Themes
Wed. Oct. 29	Seminar: Marital Property Simulation: Counseling the Family Law Client
Wed. Nov. 5	Seminar: Negotiation (Joint Class)
Wed. Nov. 12	Seminar: Family Mediation
Wed. Nov. 19	Seminar: Case Rounds -- Ethical Issues
Week of Nov. 24	Individual Meetings as Scheduled
Mon. Nov. 24	Wrap-Up and Evaluations/Closing and Transferring Cases (1 hour)
Mon. Dec. 1st	Individual Meetings as Scheduled

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