The American judicial system today operates in a complex environment of legal principle, political pressure, and media coverage. The separate elements of this complex environment are typically studied by different groups of individuals working from different perspectives. Law faculty tend to focus on legal principle; political scientists examine the influence of politics; and scholars of public communication assess the media.

The goal of this course is to introduce students to the court system and its environment as a single, integrated subject of study. To this end, the course is taught by a team of faculty instructors drawn from law, journalism, and political science. Academic discussions are complemented by lectures from sitting judges, practicing lawyers, and working journalists..

For biographies of the speakers listed below, please visit our event participants page.

Course Syllabus

Course Announcements

Any course announcements will show up here:

Guest Speakers

Marguerite Sullivan, Senior Director
Center for International Media Assistance, National Endowment for Democracy (NED)
February 1, 2012: “Press Freedom and Media Development”
**Rescheduled for April, 18.

David Rubin, Professor and Dean Emeritus
Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University
February 8, 2012: “An End Run Around the First Amendment: What Journalists Don’t Know They Can’t Publish”

Tom Devine, Legal Director
Government Accountability Project
February 15, 2012: “Whistleblowers: Essential Voices for Accountability”

Nan Aron, President and Executive Director
Alliance for Justice
February 22, 2012: “The Politics of Judicial Selection”

Leonard Burman, Daniel Patrick Moynihan Professor of Public Affairs
Maxwell School of Syracuse University
February 29, 2012: “Tax Expenditures, the Size and Efficiency of Government, and Implications for Budget Reform”

David Marburger, Partner
Baker & Hostetler, LLP
March 28, 2012: “Access with Attitude: The Free Flow of Information, the Press, the Law, and Covering Government”

Jonathan Lippman, Chief Judge
New York State Court of Appeals
April 4, 2012: “Preserving Judicial Independence: The Chief Judge’s Recipe for New York”

Stephen Koff, Washington Bureau Chief
The Plain Dealer
April 11, 2012: “Covering Washington In a Time of Medial Change and Challenge”

Course Readings

Select readings for the course are provided in a course reader available for purchase at the SU Bookstore, additional online materials will be provided here throughout the semester.

For 2/1

For 2/15