Syllabus

Spring Semester 1997 * 3 credit hours * M W F 11:30 - 12:20 * Seaton 107 * Lorn Clement
Last update: December 11, 1996
Overview
Format
Requirements Links to interesting books and articles. Term paper requirements.
Objectives
Schedule Links to class notes and materials.
Texts

Overview - expanded catalog description

This course will address procedural and substantive issues of law and regulation affecting the federal lands and natural resources therein -- water, minerals, timber, range, wildlife, recreation and preservation (historic, wilderness, etc.). A brief history and review of the acquisition and disposition of federal lands, our judicial systems, constitutional authority of the branches of government and relevant federal agencies, legislative process, and pertinent doctrines of administrative law will be addressed. Legal issues relative to the resources will be studied through lectures, case briefs, and additional materials. Current issues such as conflicts with private property rights, ie. "takings" will be explored.

Course Format

15 weeks; 3 lectures/discussions per week @ 50 minutes ea.
Term papers; case briefs by students in turn.
Exams at midterm and in finals week.

Course Requirements

Participation (graded A/Pass/Fail). Attendance is required. Briefing case exerpts from the case book, in turn, is required, as is making copies of the briefs for classmates. Initiating discussion, asking questions, being involved is strongly encouraged. Intelligent writing on exams is a key to success. Term papers should focus on a legal issue of some kind, utilize legal research materials, be analytic in nature and be 15 or so pages in length (double spaced). Please see the handout on requirements. Please also note that I have identified a number of books and articles that may be of interest to you for research and other purposes.

Schedule for term papers

Term paper requirements are here.
If you have any kind of disability, please put me on notice so I can make a reasonable accommodation.

Course Objectives

At the conclusion of this course students will be able to :
  1. Understand our governmental structure, the role of the U.S. Constitution, the roles of the three branches and administrative agencies.
  2. Understand the U.S. court system, and legislative process.
  3. Understand the basics of civil procedure - pre-trial, trial and post-trial.
  4. Be able to read a judicial opinion with understanding; recognizing the parties, the issue, the holding, and the legal arguments used in the case.
  5. Understand basic aspects of actions at law and at equity; eg. the requirements for suing for damages, the requirements for obtaining an injunction.
  6. Appreciate important aspects of administrative law, and judicial review of administrative decisions.
  7. Articulate key sections of important laws which affect management of public lands; eg. the EIS requirement of NEPA; the land use mandates of FLPMA, MUSY and NFMA.
  8. Appreciate the attitude of the Supreme Court toward natural resource management and environmental groups.
  9. Understand some key legal principles and judicial doctrines which operate in the field of federal lands and natural resources law, e.g.;
  10. Appreciate, to a limited extent, the experience of law school.

General Schedule

Here you will find an overview of topics for the semester, with links to lecture notes and course materials. Please note that reading assignments will be made each day during class, using the schedule in your paper syllabus.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Week A

Week 11

Week 12

Week 13

Week 14

Week 15

Week 16

Week 17

Required Texts

  1. Coggins & Wilkinson, 1993, Federal Public Land and Resources Law, 3rd Ed. (this is a casebook)
  2. Coggins, et al, 1996 Case Supplement

Recommended Texts

  1. Coggins & Glicksman, 1995, Modern Public Land Law in a Nutshell, West Publishing Co
  2. Getches, David, 1997, Water Law in a Nutshell, West Publishing
  3. Coggins & Wilkinson, 1990 Statutory Supplement to the casebook
NOTE that a lot of the material you see on these pages, as cited, is derived from these required and recommended texts.
To reach Lorn Clement, visit his office at Seaton Court 103F; call 913-532-5961; or e-mail: lacjr@ksu.edu
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