Admissions Class Observation Guidelines

Professor: Matthew Charity (he/him)
Class: Contracts: Law and a Market Economy I
Students will study the development of the law governing agreements between private parties. The backdrop for this study of legal intervention into “private” affairs is an understanding that both our economy as a whole and the economic positions of individuals and groups are shaped and reinforced by the imprimatur and interjection of the law in this area. Students study the historical development of each of the major doctrinal concepts – offer, acceptance, consideration, modification, breach, defenses, and remedies – as well as the related concepts of reliance, restitution, promissory estoppel, and unjust enrichment. Focus on both the common law and statutory law (UCC) governing contracts challenges students to develop strong legal analysis skills and provides a rich context for an introduction to theories of jurisprudence, including natural law, positivist theory, realist theory, laissez-faire economics theory, feminist legal theory, critical race theory, economics and the law, and relational and empirical contract theory.

Days & Times: Tues./Thurs. 4:00 – 5:30 PM

Room #: 1|203

Sign up to observe the class using this form

Frequently asked questions

Where should I sit: Please check in with Professor Charity at the beginning of class to be directed to a seat.

Am I required to stay the entire class? Visitors should plan to stay for the entirety of class. You are welcome to take restroom breaks as needed.

Should I introduce myself to professor Charity before class begins or stay after to say hello? Please check in with professor Charity before class and introduce yourself.

May I raise my hand to ask or answer a question? Visitors should not participate in class as you will not be given materials in advance.

Are there test days that the class will not be open for observations? Class observations will not be held during midterm weeks.

Professor: Babe Howell (she/her)
Class: Criminal Law
This course is designed to provide an in depth analytical understanding of substantive criminal law, covering both jurisprudential issues in the area of criminal responsibility, and also policy issues in the context of a changing criminal law. Beginning with a basic reworking of the concepts mens rea, actus reus, and causation, we will move through the defenses, and spend the second half of the course in such topical issues as death penalty, the legal control of drunken driving, property crime and rape.

Days & Times: Monday 6:15 PM – 7:45 PM, Wednesday 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Room #: 1|202

Sign up to observe the class using this form

Frequently asked questions

Where should I sit: Seats are assigned for students in this class. Visitors should check in with professor Howell before class for a seat assignment.

Am I required to stay the entire class? May I get up to go to the restroom during class?Visitors are asked to remain for the entire class. You are welcome to leave for the restroom as needed.

Should I introduce myself to professor Howell before class begins or stay after to say hello? Please arrive early and introduce yourself to Professor Howell before class begins.

May I raise my hand to ask or answer a question? Visitors are welcome to raise their hands to participate in class if they wish. Professor Howell may or may not call on visitors. This is a tech free class, so please put away laptops, phones, and other devices.

Are there test days that the class will not be open for observations? Some class sessions begin with a 15 minute quiz. If you are observing a class session with a quiz, please wait outside the classroom until the quiz is finished. Class observations are not available for the first 2 class sessions of the semester and the last class.

Professor: Marbré Stahly-Butts (she/her)
Class: – Liberty, Equality & Due Process (LEDP) – This course provides legal and historical perspectives on liberty and equality by examining the law’s impact on racial and gender equality and sexual orientation. The historical, social, political, and economic context – particularly the development of the Bill of Rights, slavery, the anti-slavery movement and Reconstruction, the rise and fall of white supremacy, the labor movement, and the emergence of gender equality – provides the backdrop against which students trace the development of the interpretation and application of the standards of equal protection and due process. Studying the moral and political theories that have been used to shape and justify these Constitutional doctrines provides both a framework for understanding and a springboard for critique. This course challenges students to analyze their own experiences through the lens of the law and to understand how the law may have shaped their values and perceptions -or how it might be used to shift society’s values and perceptions.

Days & Times: Mon | 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Wed | 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Room #:1|202

Sign up to observe the class using this form

Frequently asked questions

Where should I sit: There is no assigned seating for visitors.

Am I required to stay the entire class? May I get up to go to the restroom during class? Visitors should plan to stay for the entire class but are free to use the restroom whenever they need to. for the full class session. Visitors may step out to use the bathroom during class.

Should I introduce myself to Professor Stahly-Butts before class begins or stay after to say hello? Please introduce yourself to Professor Stahly-Butts before or after class.

May I raise my hand to ask or answer a question? This class relies on cold calling. Visitors should refrain from raising their hands and will not be called on.

Is there anything else I should know before my class? After every class, Professor Stahly-Butts offers an hour of office hours during which visitors are welcome to stay and ask questions, although non-doctrinal questions are reserved for the end of office hours.

Are there test days that the class will not be open for observations? 
Class observations are not available during the midterm, October 21. The class prior to the midterm, October 9, will be remote, and no observation is available.