Prerequisites: None

Exam Type: No Exam

The course materials and discussions span constitutional law, the political and legislative processes, and health law. Course topics include abortion, contraception, pregnancy exclusion laws, rape and statutory rape laws, personhood and feticide laws, artificial reproduction, surrogacy, civil and criminal prosecution for fetal endangerment, and reproductive rights of incarcerated and detained populations. This course is historically grounded, spanning early matrilineality and hypodescent laws to the eugenics era, and concluding with contemporary debates related sex equality, racial justice, LGBTQ rights, and religious concerns. This course requires substantial reading, preparation, organization, and the ability to analyze subtle nuances between various judicial decisions, legislative enactments, ethics, and legal rules.

Students will gain significant exposure to legal writing and will work to develop and hone these critical skills by drafting weekly position papers on the readings assigned for each class.

Note: Please note that this course will meet in both 2-hour and 90-minute sessions in the 1:30-3:30 pm Thursday/Friday block throughout the term. The specific schedule for classes will be shared before the beginning of the term.