Diane P. Wood : Courses and Seminars
Federal Courts from the Judge’s Perspective
LAWS 51402
This seminar is designed to be an advanced look at current issues that arise in the federal courts of the United States, with particular emphasis on the courts of appeals. Topics will be chosen with an eye to both the frequency with which they come up and the difficulty of the issues even if they make only rare, but predictable, appearances. The topics may change from year to year, but they will normally include the following: defining the scope and limits of the judicial power; Article III limitations such as standing, mootness, ripeness, and political questions; congressional control of the federal courts; non-Article III tribunals; subject matter jurisdiction – actual, potential, and optimal; actions against governmental units and officials, as well as related immunity doctrines; habeas corpus; standards of review; institutional reform litigation; and judicial federalism, including anti-injunction legislation, abstention doctrines, and Erie.
Either the basic Federal Jurisdiction course (LAWS 41101), which may be taken prior to or concurrently with the seminar, or Instructor’s permission is required for admission to this seminar.
Students will have a choice of writing a paper or submitting a take-home examination.
Winter 2013
Diane P. Wood
