U.S. Legal Culture - JTM035

• Title: U.S. Legal Culture
• Guaranteed by: Department of North American Studies (23-KAS)
• Faculty: Faculty of Social Sciences
• Actual: from 2023
• Semester: summer
• E-Credits: 6
• Examination process: summer s.:
• Hours per week, examination: summer s.:1/1, Ex [HT]
• Capacity: 26 / unknown (26)
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: taught
• Language: English
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Note: course can be enrolled in outside the study plan; enabled for web enrollment
• Guarantor: PhDr. Mgr. Kryštof Přemysl Kozák, Ph.D.
• Teacher(s): PhDr. Mgr. Kryštof Přemysl Kozák, Ph.D.
• Class: Courses not for incoming students
• Incompatibility : JMM016

Annotation

Last update: PhDr. Mgr. Kryštof Přemysl Kozák, Ph.D. (13.02.2024)

The course will introduce the students to the U.S. legal system. The role of law in U.S. society as well as various current issues concerning the U.S. legal system will be discussed. The first part of the course will focus more on how the legal system in the U.S. functions in practice. For example, What's the difference between the U.S. Supreme Court and a State Supreme Court? What does a Motion for Summary Judgment mean? What is hearsay? Does the phrase "legal ethics" mean anything?

The second part will cover specific areas of contemporary law, including a basic knowledge of landmark court cases. No previous experience with legal studies is necessary for enrollment. Although there is some overlap with the Culture Wars in the Supreme Court course, this course will cover many topics not covered in that course.

The emphasis of the course will be an explanation of the legal system of the United States as well as the social, political, and economic consequences of US legal norms.

Aim of the course

Last update: PhDr. Mgr. Kryštof Přemysl Kozák, Ph.D. (13.02.2024)

The goal of the course is for students to understand the ways the legal system, profession, and culture function in the US as well as the relevance of US legal culture for US politics, economy, and society. After completion of the course, students should understand the key mechanisms of the US legal system as well as their connection to critical debates within US politics and society. 

Course completion requirements

Last update: PhDr. Mgr. Kryštof Přemysl Kozák, Ph.D. (13.02.2024)

According to the Dean's provision, the teacher evaluates the student's performance in the percentages assigned to grades A to F (https://fsv.cuni.cz/opatreni-dekanky-c-20/2019):

• 91% and more   => A
• 81-90%             => B
• 71-80%             => C
• 61-70%             => D
• 51-60%             => E
• 0-50%               => F

More in SMĚRNICE S_SO_002: Organizace zkouškových termínů, kontrol studia a užívání klasifikace A–F na FSV UK.

Literature

Last update: PhDr. Mgr. Kryštof Přemysl Kozák, Ph.D. (13.02.2024)

Texts for each class are available in the syllabus section.

Teaching methods

Last update: PhDr. Mgr. Kryštof Přemysl Kozák, Ph.D. (13.02.2024)

Sessions are taught with a combination of lecture on the basic concepts supplemented by news stories, media depictions, and authentic materials leading to an understanding of the underlying legal processes and subsequent reflection on the wider context of the given problem.