Forensic Reports, the Role of Experts, and Forensic Ethics (3) (CRI 280)

Forensic Reports, the Role of Experts, and Forensic Ethics (3) (CRI 280)
Professors Bruce David, David Shapiro
This course will deal with both the reports that are prepared by forensic experts for use by lawyers (both pre-trial and at trial), and with the ethical issues that are posed when such experts interact with the legal system. The focus will be on the full range of issues involving forensic experts and the mental disability law system: the rights of persons subject to institutionalization and who have been institutionalized, and the role of mental disability in the criminal trial process, in the civil trial process, in the criminal trial process, and in the family law process. Therapeutic jurisprudence implications will be also be explored, as will a consideration of the varying ethical codes that apply to the different mental health professions. This is a predominately on-line course, requiring students to participate in a weekly chat room, blogs, and two, day-long weekend live seminars at New York Law School. The grade is based on chat room, blogs and live seminar participation, a midterm paper, and a take-home final.
This is an advanced course and for JD students to enroll the pre-requisite is Survey of Mental Disability Law or Advocacy Skills in Cases Involving Persons with Mental Disability Law: the Roles of Lawyers and Expert Witnesses formerly known as Lawyering Skills in the Representation of Persons with Mental Disabilities or permission of Prof. Michael Perlin, Director, Online Mental Disability Law Program. For master’s degree and certificate students, Survey of Mental Disability Law is a pre-requisite or co-requisite.