CRIMINAL LAW SYLLABUS

Fall 2009 Sections 5 and 6

Professor Deborah W. Denno

Office: Room 143
Phone: 212.636.6868
E-mail: ddenno@law.fordham.edu

Required Texts and Materials

• S. KADISH, S. SCHULHOFER, & C. STEIKER, CRIMINAL LAW AND ITS PROCESSES (2007) (K)
(purchase at the bookstore)
• J. DRESSLER, UNDERSTANDING CRIMINAL LAW (2006) (D)
(purchase at the bookstore)
• D. DENNO, HANDBOOK ON CRIMINAL LAW (2009) (H)
(acquire from http://law.fordham.edu/faculty/10302.htm)
• D. DENNO, HANDBOOK ON CRIMINAL LAW EXAMS (2009) (E)
(acquire from http://law.fordham.edu/faculty/10302.htm)
• SELECTED MODEL PENAL CODE PROVISIONS (M)
(acquire from http://law.fordham.edu/faculty/10302.htm)
• CRIMINAL LAW HANDOUTS (2009) (C)
(acquire from http://law.fordham.edu/faculty/10302.htm)

Please take note:

The assignments for the first week of classes are as follows:

Monday, August 24: K: Pages 73-78 (starting with Dudley); D: Chapters 1-3
H: Topic 1 (“The Common Law and the Model Penal Code”)
H: Topic 2 (“Moral Responsibility in Criminal Law”)
H: Topic 3 (“Theories of Punishment”)

Wednesday, August 26:
K: Pages 182 (starting with Martin) - 192; D: Chapter 9
M: § 1.13 (pp. 4-5); § 2.01 (p. 6)
H: Topic 4 (“Voluntary and Involuntary Acts”)
(Note that Model Penal Code §§ 1.13 and 2.01 can also be
found in the back of your casebook in K: 1080-81.)

Studying your professor’s past exams is a great way to overview any course as well as to
prepare for your final criminal law exam on December 14. My HANDBOOK ON CRIMINAL
LAW EXAMS (2009) (E) provides a copy of every criminal law exam I have administered in
addition to a model answer. The first four exams in the HANDBOOK have both a model
answer and a thorough point-by-point discussion. At the end of this fall 2009 semester, your
final criminal law exam will be open book and last three hours. The exam will contain both a
multiple choice section (for one hour) and an essay section (for two hours).
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COURSE READINGS BY SUBJECT MATTER

The Justification of Punishment

K: 73-78 (starting with Dudley);

D: Chapters 1-3

H: Topics 1-4

Actus Reus, Mens Rea, Mistake, Strict Liability

K: 182-207; 213-229; 234-243 (down to B (A Minor))

267 (starting with Marrero) - 275 (ending with Cheek)
279 (starting with note 1) - 284
288-290 (The "Cultural Defense")

D: Chapters 9-13

H: Topics 5-9

C: Paul H. Robinson, The Case of Julio Marrero

Rape

K: 291-323 (ending with Notes); 342-354 (ending with A Statutory Solution)

D: Chapter 33 (excluding §§ 33.06-33.07)

H: Topic 10

Homicide

K: 373-410; 418 (starting with Williams) - 430; 433 (starting with note 3) - 435
438 (starting with Stamp) - 466
499- 508 & ftn. 54 on p. 484

D: Chapter 31

H: Topics 11-13, 16

C: Paul H. Robinson, The Case of Bernice J. and Walter L. Williams

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Causation

K: 509-510; 518 (starting with note 2) - 533

D: Chapters 14 and 15

H: Topics 14 - 15

Exculpation: Justification and Excuse

K: 737-769 (down to Notes); 774-786 (down to Ceballos)

798-801 (ending with Notes)
833-843 (down to Fleming)
850 (starting with Intoxication) - 860 (down to Kingston)
869 (starting with Notes) - 885 (down to note 6)
897-902

D: Chapters 16-19, 22-26

H: Topics 17-19

Attempt

K: 544-558
575-582

D: Chapter 27

H: Topic 20

Complicity

K: 592 (starting with Mens Rea) - 597 (down to Notes and Questions)
610 (starting with McVay) - 630 (down to Notes)

D: Chapter 30

H: Topic 21
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Conspiracy

K: 668 (beginning with Notes) - 671 (ending with Notes)

677-679 (ending with Bridges)
690-700 (down to Notes)

D: Chapter 29 (excluding § 29.07)

H: Topic 22