Advanced Criminal Law Course

Lesson 1 • Core Principles Governing Criminal Liability

Introduces legality, proportionality, and culpability as structural pillars. These principles filter every subsequent analysis of criminal responsibility.

Lesson 2 • Nature and Purpose of Criminal Law

Examines why societies criminalize conduct and how criminal law differs from civil law. Establishes the philosophical and functional baseline for the entire course.

Lesson 3 • Classification of Criminal Offenses

Categorizes offenses by severity, type, and procedural consequences. Accurate classification determines charging strategy and sentencing exposure.

Lesson 1 • Causation and Harm

Establishes actual and proximate causation as linking elements between conduct and result. Students apply causation tests to complex factual scenarios.

Lesson 2 • The Actus Reus Requirement

Defines the voluntary act requirement and its exceptions, including omissions and possession. Grounds students in the physical dimension of criminal liability.

Lesson 3 • Mens Rea and Mental States

Analyzes the four principal mental states—purpose, knowledge, recklessness, and negligence—and their evidentiary implications. Correct mens rea identification drives charge selection.

Lesson 1 • Failure-of-Proof and Affirmative Defenses

Distinguishes defenses that negate an element from those that raise new facts. Students allocate burdens of production and persuasion correctly.

Lesson 2 • Excuse Defenses

Analyzes insanity, diminished capacity, duress, and involuntary intoxication as excuses that negate culpability. Distinguishes excuse from justification for strategic purposes.

Lesson 3 • Justification Defenses

Covers self-defense, defense of others, necessity, and law enforcement privilege as conduct-justifying defenses. Students distinguish justified acts from excused acts.

Lesson 1 • Kidnapping, False Imprisonment, and Stalking

Covers deprivation-of-liberty offenses and their movement or confinement requirements. Students identify aggravated forms and related charging considerations.

Lesson 2 • Manslaughter: Voluntary and Involuntary

Distinguishes heat-of-passion voluntary manslaughter from criminally negligent involuntary manslaughter. Students apply provocation doctrine and negligence standards.

Lesson 3 • Murder: Degrees and Distinctions

Breaks down first-degree, second-degree, and felony murder rules with their distinct mental state requirements. Provides the analytical template for all homicide charges.

Lesson 1 • Burglary and Criminal Trespass

Deconstructs common law and modern burglary elements, including breaking, entering, and felonious intent. Students distinguish burglary from trespass and related offenses.

Lesson 2 • Theft Offenses and Their Consolidation

Traces the evolution from common law larceny to consolidated theft statutes covering embezzlement and false pretenses. Students apply unified theft analysis to varied fact patterns.

Lesson 3 • Robbery and Extortion

Analyzes theft-plus-force offenses and the threat-based taking of extortion. Distinguishes robbery grades and connects extortion to fraud schemes.

Lesson 1 • Accomplice Liability and Complicity

Covers aiding, abetting, and accessory liability as doctrines extending responsibility to non-principal actors. Students attribute criminal acts across participants in a joint enterprise.

Lesson 2 • Criminal Attempt

Defines the mens rea and actus reus of attempt, including the substantial-step and proximity tests. Students distinguish attempt from mere preparation in ambiguous cases.

Lesson 3 • Criminal Conspiracy

Examines agreement, overt act, and scope of liability in conspiracy, including the Pinkerton doctrine. Students map co-conspirator liability across complex criminal networks.

Lesson 1 • Charging, Bail, and Pretrial Process

Maps the pretrial stages from arrest through arraignment, bail determination, and discovery. Students navigate procedural milestones that shape case strategy.

Lesson 2 • Fourth Amendment Search and Seizure

Analyzes reasonable expectation of privacy, warrant requirements, and exceptions governing evidence collection. Students apply suppression doctrine to investigative fact patterns.

Lesson 3 • Fifth and Sixth Amendment Protections

Covers self-incrimination, double jeopardy, right to counsel, and confrontation rights as trial-stage protections. Students identify violations and their procedural consequences.

Lesson 1 • Collateral Consequences and Reentry

Covers the non-custodial consequences of conviction, including civil disabilities, registration, and immigration effects. Students advise clients on the full scope of a criminal record.

Lesson 2 • Capital Punishment and Proportionality Review

Examines constitutional limits on the death penalty, including categorical exclusions and proportionality doctrine. Students evaluate capital eligibility and mitigation strategy.

Lesson 3 • Criminal Justice Reform and Policy Analysis

Evaluates mass incarceration, prosecutorial discretion, and reform movements through an evidence-based lens. Students apply policy analysis to propose and critique systemic changes.

Lesson 4 • Sentencing Guidelines and Discretion

Analyzes structured sentencing grids, mandatory minimums, and judicial discretion within guideline systems. Students calculate guideline ranges and identify departure grounds.