Poverty Law I

University of Minnesota School of Law

Fall Semester 2009

Office Hours:

Available before or after class period and also available by appointment, and available by email.

Course Time:

Classroom: Room 55, Tuesdays: 3:35 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. See attached Class Schedule for details.

Course Grade:

Students will complete two research papers with a maximum page limit of seven pages. See Class schedule for subjects and time deadlines. Each assignment will count for 45% of the grade. Students will do a volunteer experience related to poverty. A short three page paper on this volunteer experience will count for 10% of the student’s grade. Final grades may be increased or reduced 1 point based upon class attendance and participation.

Incomplete Grades:

If a student is unable to complete the course requirements, please make arrangements with the instructors prior to the final day of class. The “incomplete policy” of the University of Minnesota School of Law will be followed.

Late Papers:

We have a strict policy on late papers to mirror the reality of the practice of law. If you turn in a paper late without discussing it with the Dean of Students in advance, the professor can either reduce the grade or not give a grade at all.

Policy on Disabilities:

A student with a disability which affects his/her participation in the course may notify the instructors if he/she wishes to have special accommodations to the instructional format, examination format, etc. considered. The instructors may refer the student to the Dean of Student s for assistance with these accommodations.

Late Registrations:

If you are not on the class list, you must see the Registrar for admission to the class.

Attendance:

Attendance is required at every class. Attendance sign in sheets will be provided at every class. If a student misses a number of classes, the professors reserve the right to reduce the student’s grade.

Website:

Visit the class website at www.povertylaw.homestead.com for materials and updates. The website serves poverty law courses at the UST and UOM Law Schools.

Textbooks:

Textbooks are available in the University of Minnesota School of Law Bookstore except where noted.

            1.         Poverty Law Manual for the New Lawyer, http://www.povertylaw.org/poverty-law-library/research-guides. Enter “poverty law manual in the search box, the manual is in the list

            2.         Amazing Grace by Jonathan Kozol, available at the bookstore

            3.         Nickeled and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich, available at the bookstore

            4.         Tenants’ Rights in Minnesota (Minn. Legal Services Coalition), available at http://www.povertylaw.homestead.com

            5.         McDonough, Residential Unlawful Detainer Defense (2004), available at http://www.povertylaw.homestead.com

            6.         Minnesota Residential Tenants’ Remedies tables and forms, available at http://www.povertylaw.homestead.com

Other reading materials are available on line at http://www.povertylaw.homestead.com/Reading.html. Reading assignments are in the class schedule, available on line at http://www.povertylaw.homestead.com/Schedule.html.

Handouts:

Handouts will be provided in some of the classes. If you are not going to be in class, please arrange with another student to get handouts for you. Because the instructors do not have office space on campus, it is difficult for instructors to carry handouts each week for multiple classes.

While most of the course is taught by Professors Bogucki and McDonough, there will be appearances by some guest lecturers. The professors with try to obtain their materials as soon before their classes as possible, and post them on line at Other reading materials are available on line at http://www.povertylaw.homestead.com/Reading.html when possible. As they are attorneys in practice, who are agreeing to teach in addition to their practices, there are occasions when their materials may not be available until the classes they teach. The Professors urge students to be understanding of their role.

Graded Assignments: Research Papers:

Two research problems will be assigned during the semester. Each student will turn in a (maximum 10 pages for the Professor McDonough’s paper, and 7 pages for Professor Bogucki’s paper) double-spaced paper with one inch margins, and 12 point Time New Roman font, answering the research problem. Please use only materials assigned in class and in the handouts.

Students will do a volunteer experience related to poverty. A short three page paper on this volunteer experience will count for 10% of the student’s grade. Email your proposed volunteer experience to Professors Bogucki and McDonough for approval.

Cell Phones and Pagers

Please put cell phones and pagers on vibration or silent mode. Please do not answer phones or pagers during class. If you need to make other arrangements, talk with the professors.

Course Structure and Focus:

This is a practice based class and does not primarily focus on theory. The course also involves covering separate substantive topics throughout the semester in alternating classes (i.e. welfare one day, housing the next) rather than in sequence, to simulate the real life practice of having to develop different substantive areas in a case at the same time. Students should decide ahead of time whether they can accommodate this teaching style. In addition, this class focuses primarily on Minnesota law.