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Tanaka Criminal Law Casebook

Introduction/Fundamentals of Criminal Law

The chapter will begin to introduce you to important concepts of criminal law.  The information in this chapter is unlikely to show up explicitly on an exam (I am unlikely to ask such a straightforward question as "what is the burden of proof in a criminal trial?").  However, without the foundational knowledge that you will gain in the first few chapters of this casebook, you will be ill equipped to understand the materials that follows.

 

Please also use your time in these first few chapters to learn how to read a case, brief a case, and prepare for class discussions.  Reading/note taking methods that worked well for you in your undergraduate studies may not be adequate in law school. 

 

You should expect to spend at least 180 minutes (3 hours) preparing for each of our classes (a total of 6 hours/week).  Thus, reading and taking notes on this chapter should take you at least 6 hours.  If you are spending substantially less time than that each week, you are likely to fall behind and be inadequately prepared for assignments and exams.