Criminal Practice

Students concentrating in criminal law expand upon base knowledge gained in the mandatory survey class in criminal law into constitutional, evidentiary and procedural issues within the concentration. Students are offered multiple options to obtain experience in the practice of criminal law, including the Criminal Practice, Appellate Practice and Innocence Project clinics, as well as externships. Seminars are limited enrollment courses with a maximum number of 20 students per section, which allow students to explore current issues related to criminal law. The faculty advisor for this concentration is David Jaros.

Required Courses:

• Constitutional Criminal Procedure I
• Constitutional Criminal Procedure II

Choose one of the following:

• Forensic Evidence
• International Criminal Law: Courts, Crimes & Defenses
• Juvenile Justice
• Maryland Criminal Practice
• Special Topics Courses in Criminal Law (with faculty advisor approval)

Choose one of the following scholarly upper level writing courses:

• Capital Punishment and the Constitution Seminar
• Issues in Law Enforcement Seminar
• Rights of Crime Victims Seminar
• Sentencing and Plea Bargaining Seminar

Choose one of the following skills courses/activities:

• Appellate Advocacy Workshop
• Bench Trial Advocacy
• Interviewing, Negotiating and Counseling
• Trial Advocacy

Choose one of the following experiential courses:

• Criminal Practice Clinic
• Attorney Practice Clinic involving criminal practice (approved by the Director of the Attorney Practice Internship in consultation with Criminal Practice Concentration advisors)
• Innocence Project Clinic I