Professional Skills and Values in Legal Education - Institute for Law ...

2009] Teaching Professional Skills in Law School 553
Homework Prior to Day One:
Instructions:
You have been hired by the law firm of Lockhart and Tate. You have
been assigned to the case of State of Arizona v. Brett Williams. The case
file has been provided to you. You will be meeting with Mr. Lockhart
and Mr. Tate at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, October 23, 2007 to discuss the case.
To be prepared for this meeting you must do the following:
1) Review the case file documents carefully.
2) Look up the statutes that define the charges against your client.
(You do not have to read the sentencing statutes.)
3) Use the 2007 Criminal Code Sentencing Guide to determine the
ranges of sentencing that your client is facing. (Note: Your client would
actually face the sentencing code as it existed at the time of the alleged
crime, but we will use the 2007 guide for this case.)
4) Read the following cases and rules:
a) State v. Gant (pertaining to search of vehicle)
b) State v. Pettit (relating to admissibility of statements)
c) Rule 609, Rules of Evidence and State v. Green (addressing Rule
609 considerations)
Day One:
1) Introduction of faculty and students. (1:00 PM to 1:20 PM)
2) Faculty to discuss case file documents using overhead projector.
(1:20 PM to 2:10 PM)
3) Faculty to discuss the use of the Criminal Code Sentencing Guide.
(2:10 PM to 2:30 PM)
Break (2:30 PM to 2:40 PM)
4) Strategic Planning related to this case: How should this case be
defended? Was the search of the car valid? Are the statements of the
defendant admissible? If the defendant takes the stand, will the jury be
told of his prior convictions? Students are to discuss these issues in their
law firm groups. (2:40 PM to 3:00 PM)
5) Arrival of letter from the prosecutor with a plea offer. (While in
their groups, distribute to the students the letter that has just arrived.)