Course Syllabus
PLS 64, The American Jury System
Section 8252 - Course Syllabus
Course Description
This course will provide an overview of the evolution and current functions of the U.S. jury system. It will explore how the system has evolved, and the differences between a grand jury, criminal jury, and civil jury.
Student Learning Outcomes
Class Meetings
This is an asynchronous course, meaning that the class is presented wholly online. We will not be meeting in person or on a regular basis via Zoom (though a Zoom meeting can be arranged, if requested in advance by a student). Each week, a new module will be posted on Canvas, typically by noon on Monday. Assignments will typically be due by midnight on Sunday. Modules are intentionally NOT posted all at once. Although the class is asynchronous, the instructor still prioritizes a learning experience where students proceed through the assignments at the same pace, and as a cohesive group. To further support a sense of community, there will typically be a discussion group question posted each week. A critical component of each discussion group assignment is the requirement that each student respond to at least one other student's post.
Instructor Contact
Laura Pedicini
Email: lpedicini@santarosa.edu
Phone: 530-330-5907
Office Hours: Available on request
I typically respond to emails within 24 hours on weekdays and 48 hours on weekends/holidays. As an example, if you email me on Wednesday, 7/3/24, you may not hear back from me until Friday, 7/5/24. If you have an urgent matter that requires immediate communication, you are encouraged to text me at 530-330-5907. Please identify yourself as a student in the American Jury System class.
Course Web Site
Students will use the Canvas course web site for assignment instructions, submitting assignments, viewing classmates' work, sharing resources, and viewing grades.
Textbook and Additional Instructor-Provided Materials
The American Jury System (Yale Contemporary Law Series)
ISBN 10: 0300093950 ISBN 13: 9780300093957
You can order a digital copy of the textbook on Amazon. You do not need a Kindle to purchase and download the textbook. A download can be viewed on an iphone, a Mac, or a PC after downloading the Kindle app (which is free). It is also possible to view the textbook via a web browser. These options are explained in more detail on Amazon.
In addition to the textbook, the instructor will be providing pdfs or website links/videos to supplement the reading materials and meet the course objectives. For example, students will be encouraged to access the following web sites to become familiar with jury verdicts and the factors that influence jury awards:
Trellis.law
This publicly-accessible website provides information on verdicts for many states, and can be filtered by state, county, type of injury, and more.
Jury Verdict Alert
Jury Verdict Alert presents civil jury verdicts for California. Included are jury verdicts, bench verdicts and arbitration awards from California.
MoreLaw.com
This website allows keyword or subject searching and users can search for specific states, including California.
Important Dates
| Date Class Begins: | 6/17/2024 | FIRST CENSUS DATE: | 6/23/2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date Class Ends: | 7/14/2024 | Last Day Drop for Refund: | 6/20/2024 | |
| Last Day Add w/o add code: | 6/18/2024 | Last Day Drop w/o W: | 6/23/2024 | |
| Last Day Add with add code: | 6/23/2024 | Last Day Drop with W: | 7/7/2024 | |
| Date Final Exam or Final Project: | To be Arranged | Date Final Grades Due: | 11:59 PM on 8/16/2024 |
Dropping the Class
If you decide to discontinue this course, it is your responsibility to officially drop it to avoid getting no refund (after 10% of course length), a W symbol (after 20%), or a grade (after 60%). Also, for several consecutive, unexplained absences, the instructor may drop a student.
Instructor Announcements and Q&A Forum
The instructor will post announcements on the “Instructor Announcements” page in Canvas throughout the semester. Announcements are only sent out to students if there is critical information to convey; thus, it is very important that students immediately review instructor announcements when notified. Canvas notifies students according to their preferred Notification Preferences as soon as the instructor creates an announcement. However, students will only be notified if they register their preferred Notification Preferences with SRJC. It is your responsibility to register your Notification Preferences with SRJC so that you timely receive instructor announcements. Your failure to sign up for announcements will not excuse you from failing to follow directives contained in the announcements.
Attendance
SRJC policy dictates that students who do not log-in to an online class after the second day of the semester will be dropped from the class. It is possible for the instructor to see how frequently students log-in to Canvas, as well as how much time students spend on Canvas for this particular class. It is strongly advised that if you need to miss more than one class/homework deadline in a row that you contact the instructor to avoid being dropped from the class.
Late Policy
All assignments are due at midnight PST on the due date. A late submission will receive a 20% penalty. Submissions more than one week late are not accepted without prior arrangement.
Quizzes and Final Exam or Final Project
There will be online quizzes and a final exam or final project (TBD). The material comes from the textbook, class discussions (on Canvas), and supplemental materials. If a quiz is missed, a zero will be recorded as the score.
Grading Policy
Visit the “Grades” in Canvas to keep track of your grades.
Grades will be assigned as follows:
|
A |
90% |
90 points or more |
|---|---|---|
|
B |
80% |
80-89 points |
|
C |
70% |
70-79 points |
|
D |
60% |
60-69 points |
Standards of Conduct
Students who register in SRJC classes are required to abide by the SRJC Student Conduct Standards. Violation of the Standards is basis for referral to the Vice President of Student Services or dismissal from class or from the College. See the Student Code of Conduct page.
Collaborating on or copying of tests or homework in whole or in part will be considered an act of academic dishonesty and result in a grade of 0 for that test or assignment. I encourage students to share information and ideas, but not their work. See these links on Plagiarism:
SRJC Writing Center Lessons on avoiding plagiarism
SRJC's policy on Academic Integrity
Other Important Policies and Practices
Avoid Plagiarism Like the, er, Plague
Although most students have likely heard about plagiarism during their years of schooling, it still is prevalent-even in higher education.
The video below reviews what plagiarism is and how not to do it.
Netiquette, or Why Is It Harder to Be Polite Online?
Netiquette refers to using common courtesy in online communication. All members of the class are expected to follow netiquette in all course communications. Use these guidelines:
- Use capital letters sparingly. THEY LOOK LIKE SHOUTING.
- Forward emails only with a writer's permission.
- Be considerate of others' feelings and use language carefully.
- Cite all quotations, references, and sources (otherwise, it is plagiarism).
- Use humor carefully. It is hard to "read" tone; sometimes humor can be misread as criticism or personal attack. Feel free to use emoticons like :) for a smiley face to let others know you are being humorous.
- Use complete sentences and standard English grammar to compose posts. Write in proper paragraphs. Review work before submitting it.
- Text speak, such as "ur" for "your" or "ru" for "are you" etc., is only acceptable when texting.
Special Needs
Students with disabilities who believe they need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disability Resources (527-4278), as soon as possible to better ensure such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.