Prerequisite: None

Exam Type: No Exam

In this course, students will learn about reproductive rights and justice litigation and strategic advocacy, with a specific focus on abortion. We will spend the first half of the semester studying various topics in the field of reproductive rights law, starting with the basic doctrinal foundations. We will cover topics like procedure bans, religious refusals, cross-border care, private civil actions, and reproductive justice work and advocacy.

In the second half of the semester, we will shift from reading and discussing caselaw and will focus on the strategic decisions faced by those bringing litigation and pursuing legislative change in this area in a post-Dobbs era. The course will also cover legislative advocacy (including ballot initiatives) and how such advocacy can be used in parallel to litigation efforts.

Students will read caselaw, briefs and other court pleadings. The class will feature several guest speakers from leading organizations in the space. Robust class participation is expected. Grading will be based on class participation and several short papers written and submitted over the course of the semester.

Note: This offering substantially overlaps with the Spring 2023 course Reproductive Rights and Justice. If you completed the previous course, you will not be eligible to enroll in this offering.