University of Tennessee

Fall 2013
Philosophy 392:
Philosophy of Law
Instructor: Prof. Jon Garthoff
Office: McClung Tower 806B
Office ours: Tues./Thurs. 3:40-4:
!"ail: garthoff!ut".e#u
Teachin# $ssistant: $%l& '%ng
I% &escription
(n th%s course we %n)est%gate the nature of law* w%th a focus on the %nterrelat%onsh%+s a,ong law*
soc%et&* an# ,oral%t&. (n the f%rst +art of the course we e-a,%ne an# cr%t%call& assess the +os%t%)%st
conce+t%on of law art%culate# an# #efen#e# .& /. $. 0. /art %n h%s 1261 class%c The Concept of
Law. (n the secon# +art of the course we a++l& lessons fro, th%s stu#& of the theor& of law to four
recent 3n%te# 4tates 4u+re,e Court cases. 5or each case we w%ll con#uct a ,oot court6 stu#ents
w%ll alternatel& f%ll roles as l%t%gant* 7u#ge* an# +un#%t. 8ur%ng the course stu#ents shoul# ac9u%re
:%; a greater fa,%l%ar%t& w%th lea#%ng theor%es of the law6 :%%; a .etter un#erstan#%ng of law* soc%et&*
an# ,oral%t&6 an# :%%%; an %ncrease# a.%l%t& to th%n" an# wr%te clearl& an# cr%t%call&.
II% For"at
The class ,eets %n /44 <<0 fro, 11:10 to 1<:< each Tues#a& an# Thurs#a&.
III% 'e(uire"ents
4tu#ents are e-+ecte# to atten# all class ,eet%ngs an# to co,e to class full& +re+are# to engage
w%th the ,ater%al for the #a&. Course gra#es are co,+ute# as follows:
4- +age +a+er on theor& <= Pun#%tr& :an# 1-< +age art%cle; 10=
$%t%gat%on :an# -6 +age .r%ef; 30= General classroo, +art%c%+at%on 1=
Ju#g,ent :an# 3-4 +age o+%n%on; <0=
The theory of law paper is )ue in class on Tues)ay Octo*er 1+ the topic for the assi#n"ent
will *e )istri*ute) at least one wee, *efore then% The paper "ust also *e su*"itte) *y the
)ue )ate throu#h -afe$ssi#n"ent on the course we*site% Pa+ers not su.,%tte# %n class are late.
$ate +a+ers are +enal%>e# one-th%r# of a letter gra#e :0- to B? or C? to C* for e-a,+le; %f
su.,%tte# w%th%n 48 hours of the #ue #ate6 an a##%t%onal +enalt& of one-th%r# of a letter gra#e w%ll
accrue for each su.se9uent 48 hour +er%o# that trans+%res. Pa+ers ,ore than one wee" late are not
acce+te# for cre#%t. Let "e ,now as far in a)vance as possi*le if e.traor)inary circu"stances
"a,e it i"possi*le for you to su*"it a paper on ti"e. 0ll +a+ers are su.7ecte# to an electron%c
+lag%ar%s, test* an# aca#e,%c #%shonest& w%ll .e +enal%>e# se)erel& %n accor#ance w%th un%)ers%t&
regulat%ons. Please let ,e or $%l& "now %f &ou ha)e 9uest%ons a.out how to c%te sources.
The class ,eet%ng on Tues#a& @cto.er 1 w%ll .e #e)ote# to ass%gn%ng roles for the four ,oot
courts an# to e-+la%n%ng the res+ons%.%l%t%es of l%t%gants* 7u#ges* an# +un#%ts. 0n& stu#ent not
atten#%ng class on that #a& w%ll .e ass%gne# to roles not chosen .& the stu#ents %n atten#ance.
I/% Philosophy &epart"ent 'esources
Please )%s%t the Ph%loso+h& 8e+art,entAs we.s%te :philosophy.utk.edu;* 5ace.oo" +age* an#
Blac".oar# we.s%te :online.utk.edu* a)a%la.le to current ,a7ors onl&; for a )ar%et& of resources*
%nclu#%ng %nfor,at%on a.out #egree +rogra,s an# a.out other o++ortun%t%es for un#ergra#uates*
such as scholarsh%+s* the +h%loso+h& clu.* an# the annual essa& contest.
/% Office ours
M& off%ce hours w%ll .e %n McClung Tower 806B Tues#a&s an# Thurs#a&s fro, 3:40 to 4:.
/I% Te.t
/. $. 0. /art* The Concept of Law. 4econ# B#%t%on. B#s. Peter Cane* Ton& /onoCe* an# Jane
4ta+leton. @-for#* 1261.
/II% Topics an) 'ea)in#s
Theory: 0ll rea#%ngs for th%s un%t are fro, /. $. 0. /artAs The Concept of Law.
&ate Topic 'ea)in#
0122 $aw an# (ts 0#7u#%cat%on Done
0122 Pers%stent Euest%ons Cha+ter (
0129 $aws* Co,,an#s* an# @r#ers Cha+ter ((
913 The Far%et%es of $aws Cha+ter (((
913 4o)ere%gn an# 4u.7ect Cha+ter (F
9110 $aw as the 3n%on of Pr%,ar& an# 4econ#ar& Gules Cha+ter F
9112 The 5oun#at%ons of a $egal 4&ste, Cha+ter F(
9112 5or,al%s, an# Gule-4"e+t%c%s, Cha+ter F((
9119 Just%ce an# Moral%t& Cha+ter F(((
9124 $aws an# Morals Cha+ter (H
9125 (nternat%onal $aw Cha+ter H
1011: @rgan%>at%onal Meet%ng for Moot Courts 6 P$P!'- &U! 6
$pplication: Gea#%ngs for th%s un%t w%ll .e ass%gne# at the @cto.er 1 class ,eet%ng. 5or each
to+%c the f%rst class ,eet%ng w%ll .e a #%scuss%on of +h%loso+h%cal .ac"groun# for the case* the
secon# ,eet%ng w%ll .e the ,oot court* the th%r# ,eet%ng w%ll .e a #%scuss%on of the 7u#%c%al
o+%n%ons* an# the fourth ,eet%ng w%ll .e a #%scuss%on of the +un#%t art%cles. Bach l%t%gant ,ust
c%rculate a .r%ef to the class .& noon on the #a& +r%or to the ,oot court* each 7u#ge wr%t%ng
o+%n%ons ,ust c%rculate an o+%n%on to the class .& noon on the #a& +r%or to %ts #%scuss%on* an#
each +un#%ts ,ust c%rculate an art%cle to the class .& noon on the #a& +r%or to %ts #%scuss%on.
&ates Topic 7ase
1013* 1010* 10110* 10113 Man#ator& 4entenc%ng Blakely v. Washington :<004;
10122* 10124* 10129* 10131 4elf-(ncr%,%nat%on Salinas v. Texas :<013;
1113* 1112* 11112* 11114 Pol%t%cal 4+eech Citizens United v. FC :<010;
11119* 11121* 11125* 1213 0ff%r,at%)e 0ct%on Fishe! v. Unive!sity of Texas :<013;