Misdemeanor Prosecution Clinic – 7550

Fall 2014

Students registering for this semester-long clinic will join other students who are enrolled in the year-long Criminal Justice Clinic. The primary goal of the Prosecution Clinic is to provide students with the opportunity to develop the substantive and practical skills to function as an effective and ethical prosecutor in the criminal justice system. The Prosecution Clinic Course will involve a combination of classroom work and supervised student prosecution of individuals charged with petty misdemeanor, misdemeanor, and gross misdemeanor offenses in Hennepin, Ramsey, and Anoka County District Courts. Students will handle cases at all stages of the criminal process, including arraignments, pre-trial conferences, and court trials. There also will be a weekly two-hour seminar component that will include lectures on substantive criminal law and procedure, criminal justice policy issues, simulation exercises, role playing, skills training exercises, and self-evaluation.

To ensure a fulfilling experience in this Clinic, students must be willing to make a substantial time commitment that goes beyond the classroom work. This may require students to arrange their class schedules in a way that allows students to appear in court, conduct investigations, and meet with clients. Also, students must have successfully completed an Evidence course or they must be enrolled in Evidence during the fall semester. Students are further encouraged to enroll in Trial Practice and/or Criminal Procedure.