Areas of Concentration


Criminal Law

Director: Professor Chris Sherrin

This Area of Concentration is designed for students interested in the theory and practice of criminal law. It allows students to develop their knowledge of criminal law, criminal procedure, evidence, and sentencing and to develop practical skills in the handling of criminal case files.

Students are selected for the program on the basis of a written application to the Director of the Area of Concentration at the end of their first year of study. A student may withdraw at any time from this area of concentration. Students in the Area of Concentration: Criminal Law are guaranteed a place in the courses that make up the Area of Concentration. However, students must bid sufficient points to ensure enrollment in the section of Evidence of their choosing. Subject to this limitation, any law student may take any criminal law course offered by the Faculty.

Students who complete the Area of Concentration: Criminal Law within the JD program will have the notation "Area of Concentration: Criminal Law" included on their transcripts.

Students in the Area of Concentration: Criminal Law are required to complete a major research paper. This requirement will normally be satisfied by completing a major research paper as part of the Advanced Criminal Law or the Advanced Evidence course. If the research paper is done other than as part of one of those courses, its topic must be pre-approved by both the Director of the Area of Concentration and the relevant course instructor/faculty supervisor. Students may, with the approval of both Directors and course instructors, complete a paper that satisfies the writing requirements in two Areas of Concentration where the paper is worth 3 or 4 credits. Approval will not be given where a student proposes to take a 4-credit course with a paper comprising 50% of the course evaluation.

Students in the Area of Concentration: Criminal Law are required to complete the following courses:

Second Year

5375

Criminal Procedure

4 credits

5215

Evidence

4 credits

Third Year

5370

Criminal Law Advocacy

3 credits

Second or Third Year

5380

Sentencing

3 credits

One of the following:

5360

Advanced Criminal Law

4 credits

5780

Advanced Evidence

3 credits

5378

Regulatory Offences

3 credits

 

January Term/Special Topic Course (approved by the Director of the Area of Concentration)

4 credits

Sentencing and Advanced Evidence may be offered on an alternating basis every other year. In the year in which Advanced Evidence is offered, Area of Concentration students in their second year should bid sufficient points to ensure their enrollment in the Fall Term Evidence course if they wish to take Advanced Evidence.

Students are required as part of the Criminal Law Advocacy course to complete one hour a week as duty counsel at UWO Community Legal Services (CLS) and to take carriage of three of the Clinic's criminal case files under the supervision of CLS lawyers. Every effort will be made to ensure that the three files include at least one client intake and a guilty plea or a contested trial.

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