The Law School
Duquesne University Law School Bulletin Board as of 09/07/08
   
The online bulletin board lists advance class assignments, class cancellations, and other class information for law school courses. All law students should check this page frequently for the latest announcements.
Required Class Notices | Elective Class Notices | General Notices

Required Class Notices
Event Date: Title: Contact Information:
07/01/08 Advance Assignment -- Constitutional Law (Evening Division) -- Professor Barker
Please read the following case in the Rotunda casebook, and be prepared to discuss it at the first class: Marbury v. Madison . . . . . . p. 1. 		Proefssor Barker  412-396-6301
07/01/08 Advance Assignment -- Legal Process & Procedure (Day Divsiion) -- Professor Barker
Please read the following case in the Berch, Berch, and Spritzer casebook, and be prepared to discuss it at the first class: Rush v. Maple Heights. . . . . . p. 43. 		Professor Barker  412-396-6301
07/15/08 Advance Assignment -- Property Law -- Professor Hirsch
This assignment should fill the first two classes. Please prepare it all at once. Pages 63-67, Edwards v. Sims, p. 68. Also pick up a copy of Pierson v. Post from the counter by the faculty secretaries on the third floor of the Murray Pavilion, and read it. (A brief is not required. Don't research the Latin in this case.) Finally, brief Goddard v. Winchell, p. 103.		 Professor Hirsch  412-396-6185
07/15/08 Advance Assignment -- Criminal Law -- Professor Hirsch
Read the materials from page 1 to 33.		 Professor Hirsch  412-396-6185
08/04/08 Advance Assignment - Professional Responsibility, Section B - Professor Yochum

The text for this course is Professional Responsibility, Standards, Rules & Statutes, 2008-2009 (West Pub.). (No casebook has been assigned for this section of the course.)

Please note that you should, as soon as possible, read the entire ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct. This material forms the bulk of the focus of the MPRE (Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination).

Please see the syllabus (PDF) for the first ten weeks of the course. That syllabus contains reference not only to the subjects and pertinent rules but also to cases and bar opinions that we will discuss. You need not specifically review for class these later materials but you may find them useful in preparation for the MPRE. This syllabus is based on weeks of the semester and is intended as a guide for our study.

Grading in this class is a modified pass-fail; grades will be Pass, Fail, or D+. The examination for this course will be given during class on October 30. The purpose is to provide additional preparation for MPRE as well as, of course, to establish competence. (The MPRE will be November 8.)

Classes will resume the week of November 10, 2008. Attendance at these final classes can also affect your grade. These sessions will largely involve important programs, particularly drug and alcohol abuse education that is a necessary component of legal education for several bar examinations. There will be no examination, however, during the December examination period.

View syllabus (PDF)

 Prof. Yochum  412-396-5012
08/04/08 Basic Federal Income Taxation - Day & Evening -- Professor Yochum - 2008-2009
SYLLABUS - BASIC FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION - DAY & EVENING DIVISION - 2008-2009
PROFESSOR YOCHUM - OFFICE: (412) 396-5012 / E-MAIL: yochum@duq.edu
318 Murray Pavilion, Law School

View the syllabus (PDF)
 Prof. Yochum  412-396-5012
08/06/08 EVIDENCE - ADVANCE ASSIGNMENT - PROFESSOR SEKULA
REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS:

1) Casebook, CASES AND MATERIALS ON THE RULES OF EVIDENCE , by Olin Guy Wellborn III., (4th Edition, 2007, Thompson /West), and

2) COURTROOM EVIDENCE HANDBOOK, 2008-2009 Student Edition, by Steven Goode and Olin Guy Wellborn III (Thompson/West)

ASSIGNMENT FOR THE FIRST CLASS:

DAY SECTIONS: Please read the first three (3) cases and notes in the casebook, pages 1 through 10. Please also read Federal Rules of Evidence 401, 402 and 403, pages 9 - 10 and the Authors’ Commentary on Federal Rules of Evidence 401, 402 and 403, pages 71 through 81, in Courtroom Evidence Handbook, 2008-2009 Student Edition (Thompson/West). Also browse over Chapter 3, Common Objections and Responses, beginning at page 313 and Chapter 4, Checklists and Foundations, beginning at page 381 in Courtroom Evidence Handbook, 2007-2008 Student Edition (Thompson/West).

EVENING SECTION: Please read the first seven (7) cases in the casebook, pages 1 through 26. Please also read Federal Rules of Evidence 401, 402 ,403, 404 and 405, pages 9 - 11and the comments to those rules contained in Authors’ Commentary on Federal Rules of Evidence 401, 402, 403, 404 and 405 pages 71 through 100, in Courtroom Evidence Handbook, 2008-2009 Student Edition (Thompson/West). Also browse over Chapter 3, Common Objections and Responses, beginning at page 313 and Chapter 4, Checklists and Foundations, beginning at page 381 in Courtroom Evidence Handbook, 2008-2009 Student Edition (Thompson/West).

Note: I intend to cover the entire casebook.

Prof. R.F. Sekula 		Professor Sekula  412-396-6285
08/07/08 Advance Assignment -- Basic Federal Income Taxation -- Profesor Jordan
Read Chapter I for the first class.		 Professor Jordan  412-396-6187
08/07/08 Advance Assignment -- Constitutional Law, Day Division -- Professor Ledewitz
The text for the course is Chopper, et al, Constitutional Law (10th edition), and the 2008 Supplement. The assignment for the first class is pp. 1-22. The first case, Marbury v. Madison, is the foundation of the entire course for the case is taken to have established judicial review in the United States – the power of a court in the ordinary course of litigation to set aside legislation and other actions undertaken by popularly elected branches of government. What kind of judicial review does Marbury support? Does Marbury justify judicial review by any court, state or federal, or only by the United States Supreme Court? Where in the Constitution is the power of judicial review granted? If the writers of the Constitution had meant to grant this power, why would they not have so stated directly? The President’s veto power is specified in the Constitution. Isn’t the power of judicial review similar to the veto power? Would you say that the power of judicial review is implied by the nature of a written constitution? But, prior to WWII, some countries with written constitutions did not utilize judicial review, only parliamentary supremacy. Also, Larry Kramer has recently suggested that the Constitution was not meant to be enforced as ordinary law. If Chief Justice Marshall’s reasoning in Marbury is correct, does it follow that congress is bound by the view of the Supreme Court on a disputed constitutional issue? Which branch of our government is the final arbiter of the meaning of the Constitution? Or, is no branch’s view final? 		Professor Ledewitz  412-396-5011
08/08/08 Syllabus (Fall Term) - Constitutional Law - Antkowiak
Please review the Fall 2008 Syllabus for Constitutional Law (PDF).		 Prof. Antkowiak  412.396.5846
08/18/08 Advance Assignment - Contracts, Evening Division -- Professor Joiner
Read Pages 1-10; prepare pages 11-37.		 Professor Joiner  412-396-4994
09/04/08 Syllabus - Federal Civil Procedure - Katarincic
Fall 2008 Syllabus for Federal Civil Procedure (PDF)		 Prof. Katarincic  412.394.2407
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Elective Class Notices
Event Date: Title: Contact Information:
07/15/08 Advance Assignment -- Forensic Science and Law -- Professor Hirsch
For the first week, read chapters 1 and 4 of Dead Reckoning. Also, browse in the TWEN site for the course. Access it at http://lawschool.westlaw.com/twen/default.asp if you have a Westlaw password. If you don't have a Westlaw password, email me at http://fs.duqlawprof.com and I'll have West send you access instructions. Be sure to read the course syllabus on the TWEN site.		 Professor Hirsch  412-396-6185
08/07/08 Advance Assignment -- Estates & Trusts -- Professor Jordan
Read Chapter I for the first class. 		Professor Jordan  412-396-6187
08/07/08 Advance Assignment -- PA Constitutional Law, Evening Division -- Professor Ledewitz
The Pennsylvania Constitutional Law materials should be available soon in the bookstore. Please note that every student must purchase the materials. The assignment for the first class is part I. The question you should consider for the first class and all of the subsequent ones is, why do we need a Pennsylvania Constitution? Is there something wrong or inadequate in the federal constitution? 		Professor Ledewitz  412-396-5011
08/12/08 SECURED TRANSACTIONS DAY DIVISION FOR THE FIRST THREE CLASSES OF THE SEMESTER
SECURED TRANSACTIONS DAY DIVISION For the first three classes of the semester: 1-18; 71-178. For these three classes only, do the problems under the version of Article 9 that is in your Selected Commercial Statutes (Revised Article 9). Do not panic at the number of pages in the assignment. Most, but not all, of the pages assigned are textual material. Professor Fisfis August 12, 2008 		Prof. Fisfis  412-396-6289
08/18/08 Advance Assignment -- Employment Discrimination -- Professor McClendon
The course casebook is the seventh edition of Cases and Materials on Employment Discrimination by Zimmer, Sullivan, and White. In addition to the casebook, there is a 2008 supplement with selected statutes. Read and be prepared to discuss the following: (1) Sections 701 through 704 of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e through 2000e-3) (2) Sections 2, 3, 101, 102, and 503 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 12101, 12102, 12111, 12112, and 12203) (3) Sections 2, 4, 11, 12 of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (42 U.S.C. 621, 623, 630, and 631) (4) Clackamas Gastroenterology Assoc. v. Wells, 123 S.Ct. 1673 (2003) (5) Arbaugh v. Y & H Corp., 126 S.Ct. 1234 (2006) (6) Rafi v. Thompson, 2006 WL 3091483 (D.D.C. 2006) The statutory provisions listed in (1), (2), and (3) are set forth in the supplement. 		Professor McClendon  412-396-6307
08/18/08 SECURED TRANSACTIONS EVENING DIVISION For Monday, September 8, 2008
SECURED TRANSACTIONS Evening Division For Monday, September 8, 2008 pp. 1-17; 71-186 Omit Problem 3.3.21. In doing In re Copeland, at p. 182, assume that the litigation involved a negotiable note, rather than shares of stock. Professor Fisfis August 18, 2008 		Professor Fisfis  412-396-6289
09/04/08 Syllabus - Pennsylvania Civil Procedure - Katarincic
Fall 2008 syllabus for Pennsylvania Civil Procedure (PDF)		 Prof. Katarincic  412.394.2407
08/19/09 Advance Assignment -- Islamic Law -- Professor Hascall
For the first week, read Weiss, Preface and Chapter 1 through page 12; Kamali, Forward, Preface and Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 through page 27. If the books are not yet available in the bookstore, they are on reserve in the library.		 Professor Hascall  412-396-4634
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General Notices
Event Date: Title: Contact Information:
07/01/08 2008 Fall Booklist
The 2008 Fall Booklist is now available.

Booklist - Word version, Booklist - PDF version (rev. 7/25/08)		 Valerie Harper  412.396.6310
08/13/08 Property -- Professor Hirsch
The Pierson v. Post case is now available in the secretaries' area, Room 312, on the third floor. Please refer to Advance Assignment previously posted.		 Professor Hirsch  4123-396-6185
08/25/08 LAW SCHOOL OFFICE HOURS
FALL 2008 OFFICE HOURS FOR THE MAIN OFFICE OF THE LAW SCHOOL ARE AS FOLLOWS: MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY 8:30 AM TO 9:00 PM FRIDAY 8:30 AM TO 6:30 UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, THESE HOURS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.		 MAIN OFFICE  412-396-6300
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