Tags: case analysis

AT: Deliverables

You are responsible for completing the following deliverables this semester.

Engagement

Success in this course will require you to do more than simply appear in class twice a week and answer an occasional question. I expect that all of my students will be prepared to actively participate in our in class discussions since that is a key way to take as much away from the course as possible. Please review the Engagement Rubric in the Engagement page of this site. Our conversations are ongoing so you must engage your classmates with commentary, reaction and/or analysis both in class and online. Remember, conversation ” … is a form of interactive, spontaneous communication between two or more people …” and generally, ” … written exchanges are usually not referred to as conversations.” The good news is that Teams will allow us to engage in either synchronous or asynchronous written exchanges that will stand in for conversations.

AT Project

You will complete this deliverable by posting your materials to the appropriate channel in Teams.

We will examine the case law, statutes and regulations surrounding voting rights and elections in the United States during the first thirteen weeks of the semester. We will discuss the different aspects of the constitutional, statutory and regulatory basis for voting including the right to vote, election administration, gerrymandering, redistricting and the Buckley Framework, among others. Your team will prepare an analysis, including text and multimedia, of a voting rights issue that examines the legal, ethical, social, cultural and political questions and perspectives related to your approved voting rights issue.

You will join a team that will be responsible for the management of all aspects of your AT Project (ATP). Your ATP will be developed using the Adobe Portfolio app, and other resources as necessary, available through the Adobe Creative Cloud and shared in your Team’s ATP channel. This will allow your classmates to be fully prepared for our discussion of voting rights on Wednesday, April 12th. Your ATP will include, but not be limited to, the following sections:
  • Your AT Project Proposal, in a maximum of 500 words, will identify the primary issue you will investigate, the reason you have chosen it and any domains adjacent to your primary issue and will be due no later than Thursday, February 2nd at 10:42p ET.
  • Your AT Project Status Report will be due no later than Saturday, February 25th at 1:12a ET
  • Your final ATP, due no later than Thursday, March 23rd at 4:47a EDT, will include
    • ATP Proposal
    • ATP Status Report
    • Project narrative, in a minimum of 3,000 words. Each narrative will include the materials, including multimedia content, necessary to support your team’s examination. The narrative should include, but not be limited to,
      • An in-depth examination of the project issue(s)
      • A discussion of the issue(s) that provides context for the project from a legal, ethical, social, cultural and political perspective
      • A video sharing the team’s analysis in sufficient detail to allow your classmates to be full prepared for our discussion of voting rights generally during class on Wednesday, April 12th
      • A comprehensive source list that includes embedded, live hyperlinks to all sources (please see Professor Lucas’ Digital Citation for guidance)
    • You will prepare and share your analysis using the Adobe Portfolio app and other resources, as necessary, available through the Adobe Creative Cloud, allowing your classmates to be full prepared for our discussion of voting rights on Wednesday, April 12th
  • Participation in the discussion of voting rights generally during class on Wednesday, April 12th
Each team will develop and report their project in Teams using the Adobe Portfolio app, and other resources as necessary, available through the Adobe Creative Cloud. Each team must use their Teams channel for all brainstorming, communication, file sharing, etc. related to the ATP. Each team will be responsible for the preparation and posting of progress and content updates to their channel in Teams in accordance with the schedule. The use of Teams will provide full transparency as the project development process progresses. In other words, everyone involved in the course with access to our Teams workspace will have the opportunity to review and comment on the progress of each team’s project. Never post a Word or Google doc or pdf.

 Case Analysis

You will complete this deliverable by posting your materials to the appropriate channel in Teams.

We will examine/discuss several cases decided by SCOTUS during the 2021/2022 term during the last three weeks of the semester. These cases focus on constitutional law, privacy, environmental protection, establishment and free exercise clauses and second amendment, among others. You will join one of six teams that will be responsible for the management of all aspects of a case analysis. Each team will be responsible for the analysis of one of the cases described in the Course Schedule. Each case analysis will be developed using the Adobe Portfolio app, and other resources as necessary, available through the Adobe Creative Cloud and shared in your Team’s CA channel. This will allow your classmates to be full prepared for our CA discussions. Your CA will include

  • Your CA narrative, in a minimum of 5,000 words. Each narrative will include the materials necessary to support the team’s analysis. The narrative, and materials, should include, but not be limited to
    • The basis of the case (including a review of lower court and related decisions)
    • A discussion that provides context for the case from a legal, ethical, social, cultural and political perspective
    • A comprehensive source list that includes embedded, live hyperlinks to all sources (please see Professor Lucas’ Digital Citation for guidance)
    • A video sharing the team’s analysis in sufficient detail to allow your classmates to be full prepared for each in-class CA discussion
  • Moderation of the scheduled in discussion of your case analysis.
You will use your Teams CA channel to collaborate with your team and memorialize your discussions and supporting materials including, for example, web sources, documents and multimedia content for each case. Be sure to carefully review the materials included in Writing on a Digital Platform, Digital Citation and Writing and Research. Never post a Word or Google doc or pdf.

Case Simulation

You will complete this deliverable by posting your memo to the appropriate channel in Teams.

We will complete two case simulations this semester. Links to the materials related to each case simulations are in the Course Schedule. Each case simulation requires two phases.

The first phase will require you to review materials in the text. You will also study a case that examines issues related to the simulation topic, focusing on facts, a statutory excerpt and case law. Based on your knowledge of the particular area of law as a whole, you will then compose a neutral memorandum (not to exceed 750 words) that outlines each legal issue present with a short explanation of the applicable legal rules or doctrine. The sources of law for this memorandum are the text’s chapter on the area of law as well as any applicable statutory and case law. Your perspective is not that of an advocate. Rather, your analysis is as objective as possible in spotting any and all potential issues that could arise in the case and opine as to the likelihood of success on each point. You will complete this phase of the assignment individually. Be sure to carefully review the materials included in Writing on a Digital Platform and Writing and Research. Never post a Word or Google doc or pdf.

During the second phase you will prepare for an in-class Q & A discussion of the issues presented by the materials included in the first phase. You will be assigned to a team that will advocate for one side or the other during the discussion.

I will evaluate the following factors when I assess your contributions to the simulations:
  • Phase 1: Assessment will be based on the clarity of your writing, spelling and grammar, document appearance and satisfaction of form requirements; articulation of all potential issues presented and the quality and depth of analysis. You will complete Phase 1 individually. Your issues memorandum should reflect a thoughtful, substantive and well-reasoned summary; and
  • Phase 2: Assessment will be based on your mastery of the issues under consideration, contribution to the preparatory work of your team and participation in the give and take of the in-class discussion.

Grading

The following weights will be assigned to each component of your final grade: