Mary Sigler

Law 257
480-965-3839
mary.sigler@asu.edu

Jurisprudence
Law 616
Fall 2010

Readings

1. Philosophy of Law (8th), Joel Feinberg & Jules Coleman (eds.).

2. Listed cases and articles; occasional handouts.

Policies and Procedures

Class attendance is a requirement of the course. If you must miss a class, please notify
me as soon as possible. Your grade will be based primarily on a take-home final essay
examination. Experience suggests that students who come to class prepared to discuss the
assigned readings will be most successful on the exam. Additionally, everyone benefits from an
informed discussion of the material assigned. Points may be added or deducted from your grade
based on your participation (or lack of it) in class.
Reading assignments for each topic are listed below. All page references are to the
Feinberg & Coleman text unless otherwise indicated. Additional materials are available through
Westlaw, Blackboard, or other internet sites. A single topic will generally cover 2-3 class
periods; specific dates for reading assignments will be announced in class or via email. Please
check your email regularly for updates.

Topic Assignment

Introduction Perry v. Schwarzenegger

http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/08/04/prop8ruling.pdf
(excerpts)

Law & Morality 1-6 Introduction; 37-54 Spelunceans

Natural Law 8-36 Aquinas, Fuller, Murphy

Positivism 55-84 Austin, Hart; Dworkin, Model of Rules (BB); Hart, Positivism &
Its Critics (BB)

Realism, Pragmatism, 117-26 Frank, Holmes; Posner, Problematics, 111 Harv. L. Rev. 1637
and Theory (1998) (excerpts); 134-50 Dworkin
Critical Perspectives CLS and Legal Liberalism (BB); Cahn, Spelunceans, 61 Geo. Wash. L.
Rev. 1755 (1993); Butler, Spelunceans, 112 Harv. L. Rev. 1917 (1999);
180-90 MacKinnon; Williams, Benetton story [BB].

Liberty & Justice 251-63 Mill; 281-91 G. Dworkin; Rawls, Theory (BB); Nozick,
Anarchy (BB)

Constitutional 151-66 Scalia, Dworkin; Sunstein (TBA)

Interpretation

Privacy 377-80 Bork; 392-401 Roe, Casey; Bowers v. Hardwick, 478 U.S. 186
(1986); 401-08 Lawrence; Scalia (excerpt); Perry (excerpts)

Death Penalty 674-84 Furman; Roper v. Simmons, 543 U.S. 551 (2005) (excerpts);
Kennedy v. Louisiana, 128 S. Ct. 2641 (2008) (excerpts)