University of Utah : S.J. Quinney College of Law

Criminal Clinic

Tags:access to justice clinic criminal 

2-semester commitment, 3rd year students only 
Course: 3 credits, Fall through Spring 
Placement: 5 credits, Fall through Spring

      The Criminal Clinic focuses on the practice of criminal law (including case preparation, oral advocacy, court procedures, and ethics); the role and function of prosecutors and defense attorneys; and the criminal justice system.  Students appear as prosecutors and defense attorneys in misdemeanor cases and assist in felony trials.  This clinic is a 2-semester commitment (Fall & Spring) open to third year students only.

       Course: Criminal Process (3 cr., graded, Fall through Spring Semester) includes lecture, discussion and role-playing exercises to prepare students for handling criminal cases.  This course also explores the criminal justice system from a social science perspective and considers the lawyers’ roles in this system.  Students prepare short answers to mock problems, engage in a research project or complete a research paper, and reflect upon their practice experiences in writing and class discussion.  This course must be taken during both Fall and Spring Semesters and is not open to other students without instructor permission

       Placements: (5 cr., P/F; Fall through Spring Semester) Students are placed based upon student preferences, with conflicts of interest due to clerkships accommodated.

       Registration & Placement: Students should complete the Clinical Program Application form in order to indicate placement preferences and to identify any conflicts of interest.  Students who make timely application are accepted and most are able to intern at their preferred placement.

• Ethics (pdf)
• Prosecutor Forms (pdf)
• Defender Forms (pdf)

      Faculty: Professors Jensie Anderson & Karen Fojtik