LEGAL MEDICINE

COURSE OUTLINE

First Semester, Academic Year 2020-2021

Lee Edson P. Yarcia, MD, JD

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course Legal Medicine provides an overview of selected medical and scientific concepts
relevant to the practice of law. This law course is patterned after the phases of human
development from conception to death, with focus on legal issues reaching the Supreme Court
which required application of medical and scientific knowledge. Classic jurisprudence from
foundational law courses such as Persons and Family Relations, Criminal Law, and
Constitutional Law will be discussed to reinforce training for the bar examinations. The themes
for class discussions center on socially relevant and current events.

CLASS POLICIES

All classes will be done online through FEU Canvas.

Individual Learning Sessions: there will be assigned readings on medical jurisprudence.
Readings and educational videos on medical and scientific topics will be assigned as well.
Group Learning Sessions: there will be out-of-class small group discussions and in-class group
reports on selected topics.
Socratic Method: medical jurisprudence will be analyzed using the traditional recitation style.
Cases must be read in the original, with focus on the topic assigned for the case.
College rules apply for the maximum number of absences.

Grade breakdown:
10% attendance
50% class reports and recitations
20% final report
10% final paper
10% class notes
CLASS SYLLABUS

I. Introductions and Class Policies (July 25)

II. Conception to Birth (Aug. 1 & 8)

Group report objectives:

Define and describe the stages of embryo development to birth:

Fertilization
Implantation
Major organ development
Birth
Differentiate early from late abortion
Enumerate the different indications for abortion

SGD questions:

When does life begin?

Should abortion be legal? In what instances?

Fertilization:
Fertilization (Links to an external site.)
Fertilization

Building a baby: The first two weeks:

Building a baby: The first two weeks (Links to an external site.)

Building a baby: The first two weeks

Fetal Development: Stages of Growth:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/7247-fetal-development-stages-of-growth (Links to
an external site.)

Constitution, Sec. 12, Art. II

Imbong v. Ochoa, G.R. No. 204819, 8 April 2014

Civil Code

Art. 40

Art. 41

Geluz v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. L-16439, 20 July 1961

Quimiging v. Icao, G.R. No. 26795, 31 July 1970

De Jesus v. Syquia, G.R. No. L-39110, 28 November 1933

Family Code

Art. 166 (1)

Art. 168

Macadangdang v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. L-49542, 12 September 1980

Revised Penal Code

Art. 255. Infanticide

U.S. v. Aquino, G.R. No. 11653, 19 August 1916

U.S. v. Vedra, G.R. No. 4779, 20 November 1908

People v. Paycana, G.R. No. 179035, 16 April 2008

Abortion: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/preventing-unsafe-abortion (Links to

an external site.)
 Art. 256. Intentional Abortion

Art. 257. Unintentional Abortion

Art. 258. Abortion practiced by the woman herself of by her parents

Art. 259. Abortion practiced by a physician or midwife and dispensing of abortives

III. Sex and Gender (Aug. 15)

Group report objectives:

Define sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression (SOGIE)

Describe the concept of gender identity in the Philippines from the following periods:
Pre-colonial
Spanish period
American period
Post-colonial

SGD questions:

What determines male-hood and female-hood?

What determines masculinity and femininity?

Glossary of Terms: https://www.hrc.org/resources/glossary-of-terms (Links to an external site.)

Explainer Part 1: what you need to know about SOGIE:

EXPLAINER Part 1: What you need to know about SOGIE (Links to an external site.)
EXPLAINER Part 1: What you need to know about SOGIE
Explainer Part 2: what you need to know about SOGIE:
EXPLAINER: What you need to know about SOGIE Part 2 (Links to an external site.)
EXPLAINER: What you need to know about SOGIE Part 2

Queer Identity and Gender-Related Rights in Post-Colonial Philippines:

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3488543 (Links to an external site.)

Senate Bill No. 159, Anti-Discrimination Act (Introduced by Sen. Risa Hontiveros)

Silverio v. Republic, G.R. No. 174689, 22 October 2007

Republic v. Cagandahan, G.R. No. 166676, 12 September 2008

Falcis v. Civil Registrar General, G.R. No. 217910, 3 September 2019

IV. Basic Anatomy (Aug. 22)

Group report objectives:

Describe the anatomical position

Define and describe the different anatomical directions and planes

Anatomical Terms – Drawn & Defined (Updated):

Anatomical Terms - Drawn & Defined (Updated) (Links to an external site.)

Anatomical Terms - Drawn & Defined (Updated)
Anatomical Terminology:

https://opentextbc.ca/anatomyandphysiology/chapter/1-6-anatomical-terminology/#fig-ch01_06_
01 (Links to an external site.)

Free Anatomy Quiz 1:

https://www.free-anatomy-quiz.com/generalterminology1.html (Links to an external site.)

Free Anatomy Quiz 2:

https://www.free-anatomy-quiz.com/generalterminology2.html (Links to an external site.)

V. Physical Injuries (Aug. 29)

Group report objectives:

Enumerate and describe the different types of wounds

Describe the different stages of wound healing

Chapter 4 of Leo Olarte, Legal Medicine (Vol. I) 190-235 (2015).

Wound types:

http://www.jobst-usa.com/healthy-living/wound-care/wound-types/ (Links to an external site.)

Wound healing phases:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470443/ (Links to an external site.)

Revised Penal Code

Art. 262. Mutilation

US v. Bogel, G.R. No. L-2957, 3 January 1907

US v. Esparcia, G.R. No. 12694, 6 September 1917

Art. 263. Serious physical injuries

US v. Villanueva, G.R. No. 10606, 11 September 1915

US v. Santos, G.R. No. L-5795, 19 September 1910

People v. Balubar, G.R. No. L-40940, 9 October 1934

Art 265. Less serious physical injuries

US v. Trinidad, G.R. No. 1851, 23 January 1905

Art. 266. Slight physical injuries and maltreatment

VI. Sexual Crimes (Sept. 5)

Group report objectives:

Describe the female genitalia

Identify the parts of female genitalia of legal significance for the crime of rape

Chapter 6 of Leo Olarte, Legal Medicine (Vol. I) 331-444 (2015)

Vulva:

https://www.britannica.com/science/vulva (Links to an external site.)

Real Female Anatomy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHKZmFVMU4g&has_verified=1 (Links to an external site.)

Revised Penal Code

Art. 266-A. (as amended by R.A. No. 8353)

Art. 266-B. (as amended by R.A. No. 8353)

People v. De la Peña, G.R. No. 104947, 30 June 1994

People v. Navarro, G.R. No. 96251, 11 May 1993

People v. Campuhan, G.R. No. 129433, 30 March 2000

People v. Ortoa, G.R. No. 174484, 23 February 2009

VII. Crime Scene Investigation (Sept. 12)

Group report objectives:

Describe the scope of crime scene investigation

Describe the different partterns of a fingerprint
Explain the process of fingerprint investigation

Chapter 5 of Leo Olarte, Legal Medicine (Vol. II) 76-87 (2015) on Crime Scene Investigation

Crime Scene Investigation and Forensic Sciences:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/police/Crime-scene-investigation-and-forensic-sciences (Links
to an external site.)

Introduction to Crime Scenes:

Introduction to Crime Scenes (Links to an external site.)

Introduction to Crime Scenes

16x9 – Behind The Yellow Line: Real CSI:

16x9 - Behind The Yellow Line: Real CSI [Police Documentary] (Links to an external site.)
16x9 - Behind The Yellow Line: Real CSI [Police Documentary]

Fingerprint:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/fingerprint (Links to an external site.)

How to Compare Fingerprints:

How to Compare Fingerprints - The Basics (Links to an external site.)

How to Compare Fingerprints - The Basics

Tortona, et al. v. Gregorio, et al., G.R. No. 202612, 17 January 2018

VIII. Ballistics (Oct. 3)

IX. Forensic Genetics (Oct. 10)

X. Medical Jurisprudence (Oct. 17)

XI. Psychiatry & Mental Health (Oct. 24)

XII. Prison Health (Oct. 31)

XIII. Death & Autopsy (Nov. 7)

XIV. Final Report Part 1 (Nov. 14)

XV. Final Report Part 2 (Nov. 21)