599 Advanced Criminal Law (Bottos)

Students may take both LAW592 Advanced Criminal Law (Beresh) and LAW599 Advanced Criminal Law (Bottos). The courses are substantially different. No permission is required to enroll in both courses.

LAW599

Advanced Criminal Law

(Bottos)


Prerequisite courses: 

Prerequisite for:

Instructor(s): Dino Bottos, KC

Course credit: 3

Method of presentation: Lecture/Seminar



METHOD OF EVALUATION



COURSE DESCRIPTION

This is a new course from Dino Bottos K.C. designed for 2L and 3L students interested in pursuing a career in criminal law, as either Crown or defence counsel. The first half of the course will consist of lectures and discussions on some of the most litigated topics in Canadian criminal law, such as sexual assault, homicide, defence of person and property, bail, and legal ethics. The second half will involve a practical application of some of these topics. Students will draft a written argument (50% of grade) and make oral submissions (30% of grade) on a specific fact pattern, playing the role of Crown or defence counsel in a courtroom-like format. Course evaluation will also be based on a student’s class participation during lectures and with respect to the tailored discussions that will follow the oral advocacy assignment (20% of grade).

 

The goal of this course is to equip graduating students with proficiency in those criminal matters that junior lawyers routinely encounter in their first few years of practice. Students can expect greater in-depth study of evidence and criminal law issues beyond their 1L and 2L criminal law experience, and to apply those studies to the written and oral advocacy assignments.

 

To learn more about the course, you are welcome to view the course syllabus, located: https://shorturl.at/hqKRV



SPECIAL COMMENTS

Please Note: This class contains potentially triggering and/or sensitive material. There will be lectures and discussions concerning sexual assault, homicide, and other forms of violence. If you are not comfortable studying such material and feel you will not be able to meanginfully participate in class discussions, then you should not take this course.


Description updated 2024-25. Please contact the instructor for any specific questions you may have related to this particular course section.



REQUIRED TEXTS (IF ANY)

There is no required text for this class. All required reading will be provided either through PDF format or will be available on CanLII. It is highly recommended that you purchase a copy of an annotated Criminal Code.



RECOMMENDED COURSE MATERIALS

The following is a non-exhaustive list of materials that may help you in this course and in your future practice. Many of these materials are already used in other criminal law classes offered at the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta: